Report: Charlotte Hornets Could Trade Lance Stephenson

Nov 28, 2014; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Lance Stephenson (1) complains after being called for a foul during the second half of the game against the Golden State Warriors at Time Warner Cable Arena. Warriors win 106-101. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 28, 2014; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Lance Stephenson (1) complains after being called for a foul during the second half of the game against the Golden State Warriors at Time Warner Cable Arena. Warriors win 106-101. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports /
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Lance Stephenson’s career with the Charlotte Hornets could be over shortly.

Lance Stephenson’s first season with the Charlotte Hornets hasn’t exactly gone to plan.

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The Hornets, expected to make the playoffs for the second straight season, have struggled mightily, losing 14 of their first 18 games.

Stephenson is partly to blame for such struggles. Expected to be Charlotte’s third banana behind Kemba Walker and Al Jefferson, Stephenson is averaging just 9.6 points per game on a putrid 37 percent shooting from the field and an even worse 18 percent shooting from beyond the arc.

Things have gotten so bad that Grantland’s Zach Lowe is reporting that the Hornets are seriously considering a trade and Stephenson, the thought-to-be key piece they signed for $27 million this past offseason, could be shipped out of town.

"The Hornets have been aggressive making trade calls, according to sources across the league.The Hornets are searching for upgrades on the wing and at power forward, per those sources, and they are willing to talk turkey on basically anyone other than Kemba Walker and Al Jefferson. Free agents signed this past offseason can’t be traded until December 15, and few would be surprised if the Hornets make and take calls on Lance Stephenson ahead of that trigger date."

It’s truly remarkable that the Hornets have reached this place with Stephenson. It’s been 18 games and they already might be looking to bail.

Ultimately, it would probably be a mistake for Charlotte to trade Lance.  This would clearly be a panic move and those are almost never advisable. He and the Hornets have too much talent not turn things around.

This is certainly a situation to monitor.

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