We Are Stuck With Him - The Lance Stephenson Thread II

[Vanderbilt_Grad]

Neal shot 40% from three post all star last season, which was right at his career average. It's some serious revisionist history to act like we should have that about waiving him.

It's not just about 3 point %. What got folks last year was that he seemed to play with low BBIQ and tried to take shots when he shouldn't have. I remember one game late in the year where he took the last shoot while there were far better options ... and he missed resulting in a loss. Folks here were just a little upset after that. Over the summer no one really cared much if Neal stayed or went. I don't think that anyone was serious about waiving him, but I'm pretty sure that folks expected that he would see little if any playing time and were perfectly OK with the idea of trading him again. His first month or so wasn't bad at all and changed a few minds here ... for at least a little while I suspect.

[yosemiteben]

No one said we should waive him. It would have been an absurd suggestion. We would have had $3M in unusable cap space for no reason.

[Eoghan]

I am 100% fine with that and agree with the vast majority of it. Nobody should draw offense from those comments. What does bother me is that "His attitude has been fine...He hasn't been kicked out of practice, or any of that" is a complete 180 from every goddamn rumor we've been hearing all season, i.e. Lance is a cancer, has bad body language, isn't gelling with teammates etc. For once I'm inclined to believe Clifford on this but I'm still getting tired of the mixed signals coming from this FO these days.

his attitude might be fine when training etc but he often looks like a petulant child on the court

So does Kemba. One's a "winner' and the other is a "thug."

[fatlever]

Steve Kyler ‏@stevekylerNBA 2h2 hours ago
Talked to one Hornets players about Lance Stephenson's struggles -- pointed out that it isn't lack of work, its just one of those things.

Steve Kyler ‏@stevekylerNBA 2h2 hours ago
Same players said if Lance wasn't putting in the work, things might be different, but he's working and they see that as a team.

Steve Kyler ‏@stevekylerNBA 2h2 hours ago
Talked to Lance about his shooting woes and he said he still trying to find a rhythm... asked him if he was in his head about it, said no.

Steve Kyler ‏@stevekylerNBA 2h2 hours ago
Lance said he's just trying to help his team win, and isn't trying to focus on anything other than that.

[Liver_Pooty]

Steve Kyler ‏@stevekylerNBA 2h2 hours ago
Talked to one Hornets players about Lance Stephenson's struggles -- pointed out that it isn't lack of work, its just one of those things.

Steve Kyler ‏@stevekylerNBA 2h2 hours ago
Same players said if Lance wasn't putting in the work, things might be different, but he's working and they see that as a team.

Steve Kyler ‏@stevekylerNBA 2h2 hours ago
Talked to Lance about his shooting woes and he said he still trying to find a rhythm... asked him if he was in his head about it, said no.

Steve Kyler ‏@stevekylerNBA 2h2 hours ago
Lance said he's just trying to help his team win, and isn't trying to focus on anything other than that.

Well, I think its awesome hes working hard and focusing on the team winning.

But we have to see some results. Gary Neal worked hard, and had a good first month and sucked from there on out. We crucified him. Doesn't matter how hard you work unless it results on the court. I bet Roberts works hard as well. Either you play well or you don't.

[Liver_Pooty]

Steve Kyler ‏@stevekylerNBA 2h2 hours ago
Talked to one Hornets players about Lance Stephenson's struggles -- pointed out that it isn't lack of work, its just one of those things.

Steve Kyler ‏@stevekylerNBA 2h2 hours ago
Same players said if Lance wasn't putting in the work, things might be different, but he's working and they see that as a team.

Steve Kyler ‏@stevekylerNBA 2h2 hours ago
Talked to Lance about his shooting woes and he said he still trying to find a rhythm... asked him if he was in his head about it, said no.

Steve Kyler ‏@stevekylerNBA 2h2 hours ago
Lance said he's just trying to help his team win, and isn't trying to focus on anything other than that.

I also think its pathetic how someone like Steve freaking Kyler can get quotes like that from Lance and our beat writer can't. Kyler works for 'basketballinsiders'. All we ever see reported from Lance is what Clifford says. Bonnell must be scared to death to give Lance an interview after all hes said about him.

Edit: Lol in retrospect I can't really blame Bonnell for bad mouthing him this season. He's been terrible, but so was Gary Neal and he praised him like he was Ghandi.

[TheKingofSting]

He looks so good for a few plays and then does something like misses a wide open layup or throws an ill advised pass just when you think he may turn the corner.

[Liver_Pooty]

He looks so good for a few plays and then does something like misses a wide open layup or throws an ill advised pass just when you think he may turn the corner.

Hes the first or second option on our second team, and last year was perhaps the fifth option on the Pacers. Hibbert, West, Hill, George.. Hes a 5th man on a good team right now. If that.

[TheKingofSting]

It's hard to argue that but at least he is still working.

[Diop]

Steve Kyler ‏@stevekylerNBA 2h2 hours ago
Talked to one Hornets players about Lance Stephenson's struggles -- pointed out that it isn't lack of work, its just one of those things.

Steve Kyler ‏@stevekylerNBA 2h2 hours ago
Same players said if Lance wasn't putting in the work, things might be different, but he's working and they see that as a team.

Steve Kyler ‏@stevekylerNBA 2h2 hours ago
Talked to Lance about his shooting woes and he said he still trying to find a rhythm... asked him if he was in his head about it, said no.

Steve Kyler ‏@stevekylerNBA 2h2 hours ago
Lance said he's just trying to help his team win, and isn't trying to focus on anything other than that.

I also think its pathetic how someone like Steve freaking Kyler can get quotes like that from Lance and our beat writer can't. Kyler works for 'basketballinsiders'. All we ever see reported from Lance is what Clifford says. Bonnell must be scared to death to give Lance an interview after all hes said about him.

Edit: Lol in retrospect I can't really blame Bonnell for bad mouthing him this season. He's been terrible, but so was Gary Neal and he praised him like he was Ghandi.

and Ben Gordon, he used to defend him to the death

[Elden Payton]

Two things it seems we can all agree on.

1) Lance is an idiot who works hard.
2) Bonnell is an idiot who doesn't work hard.

[TheKingofSting]

That is a perfect way to put it!

[Robot Rock]

I found this at a TJ Maxx on Saturday. Pretty incredible when you consider when Lance was signed and when we went from the Bobcats to the Hornets. It was $16.99.

[yosemiteben]

Lance is ranked 500th out of 503 NBA players in offensive real plus minus - source

Lance's defensive net rating is +2.7 and his offensive net rating is -7.1. We get more offensive rebounds when he's not on the court, and we get very slightly more defensive rebounds when he's not on the court - source

[Elden Payton]

Lance is ranked 500th out of 503 NBA players in offensive real plus minus - source

Lance's defensive net rating is +2.7 and his offensive net rating is -7.1. We get more offensive rebounds when he's not on the court, and we get very slightly more defensive rebounds when he's not on the court - source

It causes a definite sadness

[KembaWalker]

I found this at a TJ Maxx on Saturday. Pretty incredible when you consider when Lance was signed and when we went from the Bobcats to the Hornets. It was $16.99.

Probably on clearance because its Lance Stephenson with Bobcats logo on it? Doesnt even make sense

[Braggins]

As long as he isnt causing problems in the locker room and is playing defense and within the system I'm willing to keep giving him chances to play out of this slump. I'm optimistic that if he is on our team next year he could be a big factor for us, but it looks like it is going to take one hell of an off-season to undo last off-season. He needs to put in a full off-season with the team locked up with MKG and Price and also getting into condition. The other night he looked like he literally wasn't capable of dunking.

[catch20two]

Lance is ranked 500th out of 503 NBA players in offensive real plus minus - source

Lance's defensive net rating is +2.7 and his offensive net rating is -7.1. We get more offensive rebounds when he's not on the court, and we get very slightly more defensive rebounds when he's not on the court - source

Sound about right.

[-Ian-]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/DustinPhifer/status/572969092908490752[/tweet]

[catch20two]