Indiana Pacers Players Don’t Want Lance Stephenson Back
By Evan Massey
Indiana Pacers players do not want the franchise to re-acquire Lance Stephenson from the Charlotte Hornets.
Larry Bird and the Indiana Pacers were showing interest in acquiring Lance Stephenson back from the Charlotte Hornets, but it doesn’t appear that they will end up actually pulling the trigger.
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Why would they not try to re-acquire a talent like Stephenson and get ready to make another run next season with Paul George back healthy? Quite simply, the Pacers players don’t want him back on the team. He rubbed quite a few people the wrong way last year, and both Rodney Stuckey and C.J. Miles have impressed the team and that’s who they want to remain with the team.
Stephenson is a great fit with the Pacers and head coach Frank Vogel’s system. He would be a very nice addition that would make them a better team if he fit in wit his teammates, but that doesn’t appear to be an option.
Weekend Trade Rumble: Heard various Pacers were asked if Indy should try to bring Lance Stephenson back. Response NOT one of encouragement
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) December 22, 2014
That's Charlotte's challenge in trying to move Stephenson. Pacers were worn out by season's end & he had Hornets exasperated in record time
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) December 22, 2014
Last season during the Pacers’ major late-season collapse, there were quite a few players that were upset with how selfish Stephenson had become. Roy Hibbert and Evan Turner were the main two players with issues, and Stephenson and Turner actually threw punches at each other. That type of locker room issue is not acceptable.
All of that being said, it doesn’t appear that Stephenson will be coming back to Indiana anytime soon. The players don’t want him back and that obviously makes the franchise lose interest in making a deal. It would be fun for the fans to see Stephenson return, but it would turn the locker room around on itself once again.
So don’t expect to see Stephenson head back to Indiana, but it still wouldn’t be surprising to see another team give the Hornets a competitive offer.
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