Should Clippers take another chance on Lance Stephenson?

Should Doc Rivers consider bringing Lance Stephenson back to the Los Angeles Clippers on a minimum contract?

Just as the day is long and the grass is green, the Los Angeles Clippers are still in search of a legitimate two-way wing player to fill the void at the small forward position.

Offseason moves to re-sign Wesley Johnson and Luc Mbah a Moute have given the Clippers a few different options at the three and with Paul Pierce likely to return for one final run, the team, at the very least, has some stability.

The free agent pool of difference-making NBA players has all but dried up, but there is still one name that could be worth taking a chance on: Lance Stephenson.

I know a lot of you are thinking “why would we want a guy that we just traded away?”

Well, think about this: the difference between Lance Stephenson last season and signing him to a minimum contract this season is $7,684,552. Going into his 7th year as an NBA pro, Lance’s value may fall as low as a minimum contract worth $1,315,448, which for a 25-year-old, who led the league in triple-doubles in 2013-2014 season, isn’t bad.

Still not convinced given his turbulent time in L.A? Here are some numbers for you to digest.

In 43 games with the Clippers, Stephenson averaged 4.7 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists over 15.8 minutes (10.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.2 assists per 36 minutes). He shot 40.4 percent from beyond the three-point line, 49.4 percent from the field and 70 percent from the free throw line.

With Memphis, however, Lance looked a little more like his former self, averaging 14.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 26.6 minutes per game. He had more opportunity to play freely off the bench, and through the occasional messy turnover when he tried to do too much, Stephenson showed his ability to set up others, create off the dribble at times and attack the rim.

When you compare his numbers to the no-spacing impact that Mbah a Moute provides (13 made threes all season), despite his stellar defense, it’s clear Stephenson is an immediate offensive upgrade. Even after the addition of point guard Raymond Felton, another play who can set up the offense can’t hurt, and Stephenson clearly has more inner talent than most players left on the market.

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Stephenson has also made his name on the defensive end of the floor, and despite a clear fall from grace in the last two years, he hasn’t forgotten how to play basketball. At 6’5″ and 230 lbs, Stephenson is still versatile enough to guard multiple positions (occasional lapses in positioning can be a weakness), stretch the floor and run the offense as a second option on the floor.

Despite all this, Stephenson never panned out and the Clippers gave up a 2019 protected first-round pick in the deal to bring Jeff Green to Los Angeles, so re-signing Lance would at least give the team something in return for the assets they lost.

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Above all else, it would give the Clippers some consistency and familiarity if things can work out on the second try. Since Doc Rivers took over the team in 2013, there have been 21 different players used at small forward.

Matt Barnes, Reggie Bullock, Jared Dudley, Danny Granger, Stephen Jackson, Antawn Jamison, Hedo Turkoglu, Sasha Vujacic, Chris Douglas Roberts, Jordan Hamilton, Dahntay Jones, C.J Wilcox, Branden Dawson, Jeff Green, Wesley Johnson, Luc Mbah a Moute, Paul Pierce, J.J. Redick, Jamal Crawford, Josh Smith, and Lance Stephenson.

A list full of failed draft picks, NBA veterans who are past their sell by date and misfit characters who just couldn’t find their place in the team.

Guys like Lance and Dion Waiters, who recently signed a two-year, $6m deal with the Miami Heat, are worth taking a cheap chance on right now, especially with the hugely inflated salary cap.

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Doc and the Clippers should take a good look at the players still available on the market. There are very few who can bring what Stephenson can, and still be young enough to develop and grow into his full potential if used correctly.