Lance Stephenson will take the burden off Charlotte Hornets’ offense
The addition of guard Lance Stephenson should help take the pressure off of the Charlotte Hornets’ two primary scorers, big man Al Jefferson and point guard Kemba Walker.
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The Charlotte Hornets rode the addition of Al Jefferson and the development of Kemba Walker to the playoffs last year. After being swept by the Miami Heat in the first round, the Hornets planned to make a big splash in free agency. They did just that, signing former Indiana Pacers’ guard Lance Stephenson to a three-year deal.
Cody Taylor of Basketball Insiders believes Lance Stephenson will take the pressure off of Jefferson and Walker.
"The Hornets are gaining a player with ample playoff experience and somebody that can energize the team and fans with his emotional play on the court. Stephenson’s presence will take some of the burden off of Walker and allow him to not force as many shots as last season when he attempted nearly 16 shots a game. Much has been made about Stephenson’s off-court behavior, but a change in scenery could be exactly what Stephenson needs to have people talking about his behavior on the court, not off the court."
Although it isn’t quite what the Miami Heat had or the Cleveland Cavaliers currently have but Lance Stephenson, Al Jefferson and Kemba Walker is a pretty formidable group of players. With veterans like Gerald Henderson, Gary Neal and Marvin Williams and youngsters like P.J. Hairston, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Noah Vonleh and Cody Zeller, the Hornets’ future is is bright.
Stephenson averaged 13.8 points, 7.2 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game this season while shooting 49.1% from the field, 35.2% from beyond the arc and 71.1% from the charity stripe in the regular season.
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