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Thoughts?

I personally would love to see Lance back with the Pacers. He loves this community and basketball team. Ive always felt it was a major mistake by him leaving and it is a position of need for the Pacers and adding scoring who can create on their own is never a bad thing.

ORLANDO, Fla. – As Larry Bird continues to revamp the Indiana Pacers’ roster this offseason, his next move could be the return of a player who previously flourished under his watch: Lance Stephenson.

Stephenson has discussed the possibility of agreeing to a multiyear deal with the Pacers, a league source confirmed to IndyStar. Stephenson, a combo guard who became an unrestricted free agent last week after Memphis declined his team option, is open to returning to the Pacers next season.

Link- http://www.indystar.com/story/sports/nba/pacers/2016/07/04/insider-lance-stephenson-opened-rejoining-pacers/86681064/

I agree on all counts with your thoughts. I also would add I think he is tenacious on defense which is needed.

I think getting him back would be very nice for Indy. He was a great fit with george and i think it will even be better now that they are playing more uptempo. He should start and give Monta a 6th man role or vice versa for instant offense off the bench. They sign him and Jordan Hill with the remaining 10m and they officially have the best offseason overall and contend in the East next season.

Jefferson/Hill
Turner/Young
George/Miles/Niang
Stephenson/Ellis
Teague/Stuckey

I really hope we do more like

Turner/Jefferson/Allen
Young/Allen
George/Lance
Miles/Ellis
Teague/Ellis

^ its nitpicking, but I'd prefer:

Turner / Jefferson /Allen
Young / Allen
George / Miles
Stephenson / Miles
Teague / Ellis / Young

There's enough spacing on the starting line-up to cover Lance, and I'm not sure Lance and Ellis can play together. I hope we see a little Thad at the 5 time this season.

Lance hopefully can offer the 35% on three-pointers he's offered up his last year with us and last season. Then it won't be such a huge spacing issue.

It looks like the Ellis-Gay swap is gaining some real steam, so that really helps the potential good of bringing him back.

Miller4ever wrote:Lance hopefully can offer the 35% on three-pointers he's offered up his last year with us and last season. Then it won't be such a huge spacing issue.

It looks like the Ellis-Gay swap is gaining some real steam, so that really helps the potential good of bringing him back.

Where did you hear about the rumor picking up steam? Last I heard, it was dying down.


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Bringing back Lance would be great. Though he was not really good playing for other teams after his first stint with the Pacers, we all know Lance's dilemma, and I think bringing him back "home" among with familiar guys and people who trusts him would be beneficial.

If we bring back Lance though, we will need to purge the SG spot. But I don't think adding Gay would be a good move as it will only crowd the SF spot some more. I'd rather have another big, or another "true" point guard to play behind Teague and Joe Young. Or maybe even a first rounder?

I really hope we can get this done. he is not going to command a lot of money plus i think he matured a bit because he saw what could happen to him if he is not playing with focus and determination.

Ps : if we get Rudy gay i am pretty sure he is going to be primarly used as a four. the teague-stephenson- george-gay-turner lineup could be Scary.

Teague, Stuckey, Young
Stephenson, Ellis, Robinson
George, Miles
Young, Niang
Turner, Jefferson, Allen


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I hope he signs. This could potentially right that wrong from two years ago. I said it then and I will say it now. I would much rather have Stephenson on the contract Ellis is sitting on. Stephenson and Paul had great chemistry. Add in Myles Turner being a player with far more potential than Hibbert and Jeff Teague being a better offensive player than George Hill and the sky is the limit for this roster if this deal is made. I hope they sign Lance and trade Ellis for Gay. Offensively everyone is capable of beating you. And Dan Burke hopefully can scheme the defense in a way that its still solid. Additionally im hoping that McMillan puts Turner through the same straight up drills Hibbert went through; because his rim protection without fouling will be very important to starting the fast break.

Teague
Stephenson
George
Rudy or Young
Turner

If we did the Gay deal too I think Lance should come off the bench. First guard off the bench, even let him play some point.
Start
Teague
PG
Gay
Young
Turner
No one could guard that size plus we'd still play fast. With Lance as the sixth man, CJ able to come in at either wing, Gay able to slide to to the 4, and Jefferson backing up Myles is a solid 8 man rotation. Joey has shown he deserves some pt and I really think Niang will work into the rotation. Stuckey and Lavoy could be the odd men out.

If PG is the starting SG with Lance as the sixth man, it's Monta and not Stuckey who could be the odd man out. Maybe though you were assuming Monta would be traded for a SF. CJ Miles might also be moved if we got another SF.

Does anyone else question the Pacer's interest in doing this? The article says Lance "would be open to returning to the Pacers." Not sure I've seen anywhere that the Pacers have mutual interest? With all the hoopla that surrounded the Pacer's courtship of Lance back in 2014 does it make sense that the team would be relatively quiet now?

I'm not a fan of bringing him back so maybe I'm reading what I want into the narrative right now. I'm a little surprised people don't remember the train wreck this team was at the end of 2013/2014 and Lance's contribution to that. Since then, an immature Lance Stephenson has if anything regressed.

Last summer the story was Larry liked Glen Robinson III the same way he liked Lance. Lance would suck up any minutes that might be available for GRIII. I wonder if Larry has moved on.

8305 wrote:Does anyone else question the Pacer's interest in doing this? The article says Lance "would be open to returning to the Pacers." Not sure I've seen anywhere that the Pacers have mutual interest? With all the hoopla that surrounded the Pacer's courtship of Lance back in 2014 does it make sense that the team would be relatively quiet now?

I'm not a fan of bringing him back so maybe I'm reading what I want into the narrative right now. I'm a little surprised people don't remember the train wreck this team was at the end of 2013/2014 and Lance's contribution to that. Since then, an immature Lance Stephenson has if anything regressed.

Last summer the story was Larry liked Glen Robinson III the same way he liked Lance. Lance would suck up any minutes that might be available for GRIII. I wonder if Larry has moved on.

Very good questions.

If we are looking for ex-PAcers to bring back wouldn't Rush be a better fit? Better 3andD guy. Cheaper rotation player that might actually fill a need?

We need to stretch the floor with a wing. Lance doesn't do that.
We need another perimeter defender. While Lance is an irritant, I wouldn't say he is a good defender on the perimeter.
We need someone to help PG guard LBJ as this should be our goal...to match-up with the Cavs in the ECF.

Indy4Life wrote:If we are looking for ex-PAcers to bring back wouldn't Rush be a better fit? Better 3andD guy. Cheaper rotation player that might actually fill a need?

We need to stretch the floor with a wing. Lance doesn't do that.
We need another perimeter defender. While Lance is an irritant, I wouldn't say he is a good defender on the perimeter.
We need someone to help PG guard LBJ as this should be our goal...to match-up with the Cavs in the ECF.

Rush is not the player he used to be. I'd give a 2 yr deal to lance as long as it was cheep under $5 million. I don't see him getting more than that. 2nd yr not guaranteed.

I like GRob over Rush. as for the rumor being one sided, the piece in the Star suggests the reporter got some confirmation in Orlando,

I called Lance being a good option like the day of the Teague trade but I think we should wait on Lance because using up your cap space does affect your ability to make trades.

Indy4Life wrote:If we are looking for ex-PAcers to bring back wouldn't Rush be a better fit? Better 3andD guy. Cheaper rotation player that might actually fill a need?

Is Rush really a better defender then Lance? I feel like that isn't accurate. But, to be honest, when i watch the GSW, i usually zone out once the stars sit and guys such as Rush come in to really be able to grade. But, basing off the time Lance played with Indy, he was a great defender. The league was raving about him and PG as a elite defensive duo.