Lance Stephenson is possibly the best swingman left on the market after the announced signings of Trevor Ariza, Paul Pierce, Chandler Parsons, Luol Deng and Carmelo Anthony.
The news broke on Sunday that the Houston Rockets won’t sign the Dallas Mavericks offer sheet for Parsons, meaning that the Mavs won’t be pursuing Stephenson anymore.
“Stephenson loses best chance at bigger dollars,” noted Sam Amick of USA Today. “Pacers-Stephenson front and center now.”
Another possible destination for Stephenson is the Los Angeles Lakers, but Sporting News recently reported that the interest isn’t strong.
“According to the source, the remaining serious suitors for Stephenson are expected to be Charlotte, Dallas—if and when the Rockets match the Mavs’ offer sheet for Chandler Parsons—and Indiana,” he said.
“Several teams mentioned in connection with Stephenson, including Boston, Chicago and the Lakers, have not been serious in their pursuit, the source said, while others could register late interest.”
The other team mentioned as serious, the Hornets, are not actually serious about Stephenson, according to Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer.
“I tweeted this a while back and it still holds true: Hornets aren’t showing signs they want Stephenson,” he said recently.
That seems to leave only the Pacers, although there should be other teams looking at Stephenson now that most other options are off the table.
Stephenson averaged 13.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game last year and led the NBA in triple doubles with five.
