Written by Taylor Odenat
It’s about that time again for basketball fans to once again begin proclaiming that the Los Angeles Clippers are destined for a NBA finals run. This time around it’s due to their recent acquisition of erratic and crafty forward/guard Lance Stephenson. On June 15, 2015 the Clippers agreed to trade Matt Barnes and Spencer Hawes to Charlotte for Stephenson in hopes that they’re improving their hole at the small forward position. Matt Barnes wasn’t terribly unproductive as he finished the season averaging 10.1 ppg, 4.0 rpg, and 1.5 apg in 74 starts, but he is increasing in age and reaching the last year of his deal won’t be detrimental to the team. Spencer Hawes wasn’t what they hoped he would be when they signed him over the offseason, his long ball has been off as he only shot it at 31% from beyond the arc. LA acquired him as productive backup big man behind DeAndre Jordan and Blake Griffin, however, he was not able to live up to that role so losing Hawes will also not be a hit to the organization. So in saying all that, was the Lance Stephenson trade a smart move for the Clippers?
Lance Stephenson can either prove to be a risk or a reward for the Los Angeles Clippers. On one hand, Stephenson is versatile, can guard more than one position, can play more than one position, can play well into the “Lob City” system, rebounds well for his position, and has has the ability to put on a show for the fans which LA loves to do. Stephenson has outplayed the expectations he was given when he was first drafted to the league at No. 40 in the 2010 draft and went from the league’s most underpaid player to being paid $18.4 over the next two years. On the other hand, he is erratic, has an inconsistent jump shot and hadn’t performed up to his contract expectations this past season with the Hornets. He was inefficient, took some questionable jump shots, and wasn’t able to pick up the slack once Kemba Walker underwent surgery to repair a torn lateral meniscus in his left knee. Will the benefits outweigh the risks that Lance brings is what the Los Angeles Clippers will be asking themselves when the season starts to approach in October.
Whether Lance makes LA a title contender won’t be shown right away, but Stephenson is an upgrade over aging veteran Matt Barnes so the Clippers are a step closer in the right direction. Stephenson is a young gun whose athleticism and defensive prowess will collaborate excellently with DeAndre and Blake. Although his poor shooting may disable him from being a reliable kick out option, LA still benefits from this trade. They rid themselves of a forward not getting any younger, a big man who lost his touch, and at the same time they acquire a young ball handler and playmaker with a willingness to do anything to win. However, this should not be the last move the Clippers make. They still have a long ways to go with improving their bench and resigning their defensive stud DeAndre Jordan, but this is definitely a step in the right direction for the team constantly getting eliminated in the second round of the playoffs.
All statistics came from Basketball Reference unless stated otherwise.
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