Pelicans cut Alonzo Gee, retain Lance Stephenson

The New Orleans Pelicans will keep Lance Stephenson with their final roster spot after requesting waivers on swingman Alonzo Gee.

Stephenson entered training camp with only a small partial guarantee in his veteran's minimum deal, but managed to earn a spot with stable play throughout preseason.

The 26-year-old shooting guard averaged 6.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.7 assists in 23.8 minutes this month, whereas Gee failed to register even 10 minutes per game.

Another factor working in Stephenson's favor is his ball-handling ability. The Pelicans are short Jrue Holiday (personal) and Tyreke Evans (knee) which makes playmaking a premium.

Stephenson has struggled since his career year with the Indiana Pacers in 2014, but he did submit a strong showing with the Memphis Grizzlies last year with averages of 14.2 points and 4.4 rebounds in 26.6 minutes off the bench.