The Los Angeles Clippers acquired shooting guard Lance Stephenson on Monday via a trade with the Charlotte Hornets. The Hornets received Matt Barnes and Spencer Hawes in return.
Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski called it a "high-risk, high-reward move" basing on the notorious history of the ex-Indiana Pacer. Charlotte had long been wanting to get rid of the volatile guard since the beginning of last season but was unable to find a willing trade partner.
At last, the Clippers answered the call.
Los Angeles is hoping that the 24-year-old former Cincinnati Bearcat can get his head together with all the veterans in Doc Rivers' locker room. Rivers is actually in need of an athletic defensive swingman that can guard the best players of opposing teams from that position, and Stephenson is expected to fill that part.
The Clips were drubbed by the Houston Rockets in the second of this year's playoffs, 3-4, thanks to the unimpeded play of Rockets' shooting guard and MVP runner-up James Harden. There was no one in the L.A. lineup that could stop The Beard from wreaking havoc on the court, and it was one of the main concerns of Rivers for them to advance deeper in the postseason.
Enter Stephenson and hopefully the issue is resolved.
The 6-foot-5, 230-pound guard is set to receive $9 million next season and then has a team option for the season after that. The reasonable cost is what made the Clips finally agree on the deal, as per Bleacher Report.
The Clips are confident that the change in scenery would bring back the old Lance Stephenson who guarded LeBron James during the 2013 Eastern Conference Finals between the Indiana Pacers and the Miami Heat.