Los Angeles Lakers: Lance Stephenson has a lot left in the tank

After reviving his career with the Indiana Pacers last year on his second stint with the team, Lance Stephenson has a lot left to give the Los Angeles Lakers. 

Lance Stephenson has had his share of big moments since being drafted in 2010 by the Indiana Pacers, his most memorable one’s while going against LeBron James and the Miami Heat in the NBA playoffs. Especially considering their moments have not always been on the positive, see Lance blowing into LeBron’s ear for starters.

Lance was at his peak during the 2013-2014 season, where he set a Pacers franchise record for triple-doubles in a season with five, while helping the Pacers lock up the number one seed in the East that season. Although the Pacers would end up going down in six games to the Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals, a new contract was earned that season for Stephenson, eventually signing a three-year deal with the Charlotte Hornets in the offseason.

The Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, and Minnesota Timberwolves were all suitors for Lance the following years, with him ultimately returning to the Indiana Pacers for a second stint last season.  2017-2018 was a return to form for Lance, after playing only 24 games combined the previous three seasons, Lance was able to play all 82 his second go with the Pacers. Indiana declined his team option, which led to him joining the Los Angeles Lakers.

While he has all the talent in the world, Lance has been known to be a little erratic at times with turnovers and questionable plays. President of Basketball Operations Kevin Pritchard for the Indiana Pacers summed it up like this:

"“Sometimes he was the best player on our team, and sometimes he was the best player on the other team,” Pritchard"

One thing you could never question about Stephenson was his passion or effort while playing on the court. He is the type of player who can come in off the bench and provide a spark while doing it with creativity and flash, which can be huge in big games played at home. Lance can run the point and set up an offense.

Aside from 2013-2014 where he shot 35 percent from three-point range, Stephenson has never been much of a reliable shooter. With him you take the good with the bad, known as a notoriously streaky shooter, there will be games he can get ridiculously hot from the field, making the Lakers look almost unbeatable at times.

LeBron and company knew what they were getting while recruiting Lance to play this season but ultimately felt the positives would outweigh negatives in the end. Laker fans will be pulling their hair out at time watching Stephenson play, but as seen the other night against the Denver Nuggets, he can make us all forget those moments in the blink of an eye.