Clippers Acquire Lance Stephenson for Spencer Hawes and Matt Barnes

[mkwest]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EettDKUUxjE[/youtube]

Lance Stephenson says it's 'passion,' not angst, he'll bring to Clippers

Lance Stephenson once famously blew in LeBron James' ear and prompted whispers at his first two NBA stops about being a bad teammate. Now he's ready for word of mouth to do something else with his spotty reputation.

"I want to take that title off my name because that's not me," Stephenson said during his introductory news conference at the Clippers' practice facility Thursday, three days after the team acquired him in a trade with the Charlotte Hornets. "I'm a good locker room guy."

"I was on the court and I was working out and when I got the call" about the trade, said Stephenson, who has one more season guaranteed on his contract at $9 million in addition to a team option for $9.4 million for the 2016-17 season. "I was like, 'What? Are you serious? Like, I'm on the Clippers?' I was very happy."

"I feel like last year they weren't as tough; they needed that guy to get them angry and get everybody mad and get other people scared," Stephenson said. "I feel like I could add on to that."

Ben Bolch, LA Times

[mj_shoefanatic]

Lil Metta can help us off the bench. Nice player swap.

[playaloc916]

Lance Stephenson says it's 'passion,' not angst, he'll bring to Clippers

"I feel like last year they weren't as tough; they needed that guy to get them angry and get everybody mad and get other people scared," Stephenson said. "I feel like I could add on to that."

Ben Bolch, LA Times

Lol, I thought Barnes did a good job getting people angry and other people scared. I'm going to miss him.

[thanumba2clippersfan]

Well since we have Lance I really hope he works out for us. I don't know if we're getting the Pacers version, but I think he'll have a better year than last year. And please Doc don't have Lance as our starting 3, I'm just fine with him coming off the bench. Hopefully he has his head on straight and all the Clipper vets keep Lance in line.

[thanumba2clippersfan]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/YahooSports/status/611977047506817024[/tweet]

[kylem4711]

does barnes being traded change the rules of him not being able to sign with the clips for a year?

[Quake Griffin]

does barnes being traded change the rules of him not being able to sign with the clips for a year?

can't sign with the Clips for one calendar year.

[kylem4711]

I just saw on twitter that one of the clipsnation editors said he could sign if he is cut by the third team.

[kylem4711]

He sited Coon #65 footnote 7. Whatever that means.

[TucsonClip]

He sited Coon #65 footnote 7. Whatever that means.

He is correct, but I think the discussion is moot. Barnes didn't exactly have the best time here and it sounded like he wasn't happy on the way out.

[Ranma]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/status/614068292760784896[/tweet]

[Quake Griffin]

Bruh.

I cannot deal with Matt Barnes being on the "pedobears"

shoot me in the **** head why don't ya?

[Ranma]

Zach Randolph, Tony Allen, and now Matt Barnes. Good grief.

[mkwest]

I'd rather he ended up somewhere other than Memphis, but it could have been worse.

If he was bought out (prior to this latest trade), part of me would have been content with him joining the co-tenants in order to be near his kids.

[LACtdom]

I'm happy for Barnes. He ended up on a team that will suit him nicely. Conley, Allen, Green, Barnes, ZBO are going to rough up everyone.

I'm very jealous of Memphis' grittiness.

[mkwest]

[instagram]https://instagram.com/p/5vNEc4rzY9/[/instagram]

matt_barnes9 Don't really know where to start.. Although I'm from Nor Cal LA has raised me, from coming here at 17 to attend UCLA on to pros.... It was a dream come true the first time I put that LAKER uniform on & step on the purple & gold court.. But wat might hv been just as amazing as playing for the Lakers was being a small part of helping a historically bad franchise become one of the best franchises & teams in the league! I took ALOTA pride in that because I felt when I came in the league I was the "clippers" so to speak.. Doubted passed over & not really spoken about.. Now hate me or love me ima household name & the clips are a force to be dealt with! I came here a boy & I'm leaving as a man! You've seen the Good times & the Bad, never claimed or tried to be perfect but wat i did try to do is ALWAYS STAY REAL & TRUE TO MYSELF!! The one thing you can't deny is every time I stepped on the court I left absolutely EVERYTHING out there! I think I know better than anyone "This is a business" so you can NEVER get your heart involved, but I can't lie, this **** hurts for a lot of different reasons.. As my run in LA has come to an end I wanna thank everyone from the bottom of my heart for the LOVE, SUPPORT & $h!t even the hate, all of that has made me THE MAN I AM 2day!! To Live in Die in LA it's the place to be hahaa YALL take care & #THANKYOULA

[Lindecision]

That's all Memphis needs. More grit and more grind.

[nickhx2]

if they ever realized they needed grit, grind AND shooting then they'd be truly fearsome.

[madmaxmedia]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFlSsa6CsGc[/youtube]

[consultant]

I don't follow the Clippers religiously, but live in LA. Remind me why this is a good trade for the Clippers? Matt Barnes is a better defender, shooter, and locker room presence than Stephenson; without the head case risk. Then you also dish out a back up center. How does this trade improve the team?