The case for free-agent Lance Stephenson
Put aside the name for a second. Let's just try an abstract thought experiment.
Let's say there was an unrestricted free-agent available this offseason with a bevy of skills on his resume. He enjoyed a breakout season last year, playing for one of the best teams in the league. He served as a primary ball-handler, and dished out 4.6 assist per game. He also scored a fair bit (13.8) and dominated the glass (7.2), especially for his position as a shooting guard. On top of all that, he's also a tenacious defender.
Oh, and he's just 23.
The player described is obviously Lance Stephenson, as stated in the title and featured in the cover photo. And with Stephenson, the on-court production isn't the end of the story. There are certainly off-court issues to consider.
Most NBA fans are well acquainted with Lance's antics. The NBA's collective attention is always fixated on its biggest star in LeBron James, especially in the heat of the playoffs. Stephenson could not have picked a worse player, nor time, to pull his unique set of histrionics.
With every passing day, it's becoming more and more evident that Stephenson's antics and sullied reputation is hurting him in free-agency. The Indiana Pacers offered a five-year, $44 million deal to re-sign Stephenson, but he's reportedly holding out for more.
It's a perilous line to tow because the market is quickly drying up. After James chose to sign in Cleveland, the rest of the league's dominoes fell in line, with corresponding moves made by various teams to execute their respective contingency plans. Over the past week, names like Carmelo Anthony, Luol Deng, Trevor Ariza, Chandler Parsons and Pau Gasol inked deals, eating up most of the league's open cap-room.
Related: Updated list of available free agents
The rush to sign wings has also tempered the market's appetite, something that works against Stephenson's favor. Had there been multiple teams in on the chase, Stephenson's agent could have played teams off each other, driving his price up via competition in the market, but there aren't many suitors out there. Coupled with the attitude concerns, it's not hard to understand why Stephenson's price is depressed.
But in-between the occasional bouts of childishness and hyper-aggression, there's an extremely talented player waiting to break-out. Consider the only three other players who averaged more than seven rebounds and 4.5 assists per game last season: Kevin Durant, Joakim Noah, Nicolas Batum. Three excellent players in the midst of their primes. Lance is just 23-years-old.
It's no guarantee that Stephenson will put his petty antics aside and truly flourish as a player, but at the price of less than $10 million per year, he doesn't need to. He's already worth that money.
Take Utah's Gordon Hayward, for example. Both players are 23, and feature relatively comparable skillsets, that being the ball-handling wing who can create offense and defend. Sure, Hayward doesn't carry any personality concerns, but why is Hayward worth a maximum offer of $15 million per season? Is Stephenson so much of a problem that it should cost him $5 million per year?
The answer is no, and for a team looking to shore up their perimeter in the coming years, the answer is Lance Stephenson.