Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Trading for Lance Stephenson may seem like a low-risk, high-reward proposition for the Los Angeles Clippers, but team chemistry in the NBA is a fragile thing that shouldn’t be taken for granted. This is where the league’s latest trade could go horribly wrong.
The Clippers received Stephenson on Monday from the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for Matt Barnes and Spencer Hawes. Getting rid of Hawes’ lengthy contract may have been the primary reason Doc Rivers signed off on this deal, because Stephenson has a team option on the final year of his contract. That means the Clippers could cut their losses if things don’t work out and have some extra cap room in 2016.
Thank you to buzz city and the Hornets organization. While the past year didn’t work …. http://t.co/edgMso2SuT pic.twitter.com/MmXZiOTAEk
— Lance Stephenson (@StephensonLance) June 16, 2015
Stephenson averaged 8.2 PPG, 4.5 RPG and 3.9 APG for the Hornets, and those numbers were way down from his last season with the Indiana Pacers. Rivers is basically betting on his ability to get the SG back to form. This gamble could end up proving disastrous for a Clippers team already struggling with chemistry issues. Media leaks about DeAndre Jordan and Blake Griffin disliking Chris Paul as a teammate have been pretty consistent the last couple seasons, and I can’t imagine CP3 enjoying Stephenson’s defensive laziness or horrible shot selection for too long. Don’t be shocked if the Clippers try trading Lance early next season much like the Hornets attempted to do last year.
Barnes is a better defensive player than many give him credit for, and though he loses his cool on the court at times, can’t the same be said about Stephenson? The Clippers will eventually regret trading for the SG who once blew into the ear of LeBron James.
Dave Daniels is an NBA Featured Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on twitter: @AllDave_AllDay, like him on Facebook here or add him to your network on Google.
