Lance Stephenson went from NBA hero to NBA zero in the blink of an eye, but he's going back to where it all began. The Indiana Pacers are signing the journeying swingman to a three-year, $12 million contract that includes a player option in the final year, reports Adam Zagoria of Zagsblog. That's a lengthy contract for a player that's been cut from several teams since leaving the Pacers.This marks the sixth uniform change for Stephenson since 2014, the biggest indication of just how far he's fallen from grace. The man known round the world for blowing into LeBron James' ear during the playoffs has become a waiver wire regular. NBA fans and analysts can't believe Indiana would extend as far as they did to bring Stephenson back, who's averaged 8.1 points, 2.9 assists and 3.7 rebounds per game since leaving Indiana as a free agent years ago. His shooing percentages aren't much better.Lance is shooting a paltry 25.1 percent from three-point range and 42.8 percent overall since moving on from the Pacers. Reactions to this surprising signing have been priceless:
This, of course, has big implications for Indiana as they try to re-tool their roster to pacify the growing impatience of their franchise player, Paul George:
George didn't hold back after the Pacers fell apart in the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves Monday night, tearing into his team's lack of urgency as they fight in a tight playoff race at the bottom of the Eastern Conference.
“We should have a professional approach, man, and defend our home court, especially to a team that’s not even in the playoffs,” George said, according to Nate Taylor of the IndyStar.
“That’s what it comes down to. As a team, we’ve got to have a grit and we’ve got to own up, man up... There’s no urgency, no sense of urgency, no winning pride,” he said.
The per-year salary for Lance is low, sure, and it's mostly a two-year contract considering the first year is all but over. Tossing him a player option seems unnecessary considering he couldn't stick anywhere he's been, but the Pacers brought in some veteran "help" for the boiling George.
“I know I was pissed. It’s the only to really sum it up," George said after the game. The hope has to be that Lance will share that level of accountability as a seasoned player who was drafted by Indiana with the 40th pick in the 2010 NBA Draft.
Stephenson, at his peak, was a defensive stopper and playmaker for Indiana. He failed to have the kind of positive impact that made him a standout player with the Pacers elsewhere, and now they're hoping to rekindle that magic together.