NBA Trade Rumors: 5 potential destinations for Lance Stephenson
By Evan Massey
Which five teams make the most sense to acquire Charlotte Hornets shooting guard Lance Stephenson?
Lance Stephenson was signed by the Charlotte Hornets this past offseason, and they were expecting him to be the missing piece to their puzzle. They were the eighth seed in the NBA Playoffs last year, and were missing a shooting guard that can score and make plays for his teammates.
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That was exactly what Stephenson was able to do with the Indiana Pacers last season, and that made him an ideal target for the Hornets in free agency.
Charlotte originally went after Gordon Hayward with a maximum contract offer, but the Utah Jazz chose to match it. He would have been an ideal fit for their scoring needs, and is a complete all-around player. Unfortunately, they didn’t get him, but Stephenson was a logical second option.
So far this season, Stephenson has been a major disappointment and hasn’t been anything close to what the Hornets needed last year. He hasn’t been a consistent scorer and he has yet to be a consistent playmaker either. His averages aren’t too bad, but the way that he is getting those averages has been poor to say the least.
Stephenson is averaging 9.3 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game. He has been demoted to a bench role, and the Hornets actually played better when he was out with a groin injury.
As the trade deadline draws closer, there have been some talks about him being on the trade block. Who are the top five potential suitors for him if the Hornets do end up looking to trade him?
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