Indiana Pacers Rumors: Is Lance Stephenson’s Reunion With Team Possible?

The Indiana Pacers will have enough money to pursue at least one reliable free agent come July 1st when the NBA Free Agency period kicks off. Would team president Larry Bird be foolish to pursue a Lance Stephenson-Indiana reunion?

The Indiana Pacers drafted guard Lance Stephenson in the 2nd-round (40th overall) of the 2010 NBA Draft. For his first three seasons in the league, Stephenson was nothing more than an average-at-best role player who found himself towards the bottom of the Pacers’ rotation.

It wasn’t until the 2012 and 2013 seasons when Stephenson broke out of his shell and was able to effectively produce for a Pacers team that would see itself rise amongst the Eastern Conference — boasting the No.1 seed in their conference during the 2013-14 season.

His best season came the year when the Pacers were the best team in the East, averaging 13.8 points, 7.2 rebounds and 4.6 assists per-contest in 2013. In a matter of two years he saw himself go from only seeing the floor in garbage time towards the end of games, to being a pivotal piece for a team that made it to two consecutive Eastern Conference Finals.

It would’ve seemed nuts that Bird would just let Stephenson walk after such a successful campaign. Unfortunately however, the team’s loss to the LeBron James-led Miami Heat in the 2014 Eastern Conference Finals was the last time that Stephenson would be wearing a Pacers uniform.

In the 2014 offseason, Stephenson signed a reported three-year, $27 million deal with the Charlotte Hornets – declining the original offer that Bird had made to him that would’ve paid the guard $45 million over the course of five years.

The Hornets thought that they would get the flashy, athletic Stephenson that they had seen during his time in Indiana, but things never really came close to panning out.

In hist first season with the Hornets Stephenson would only start in 25 total games, while shooting 37% from the floor — including an abysmal 17% from the three-point line. He averaged just 8.2 points through 61 total games.

The Hornets would go on to trade Stephenson last summer to the Los Angeles Clippers — who would also eventually trade him to the Memphis Grizzlies right before the trade deadline this past February.

The Grizzlies recently declined Stephenson’s $9.4 million team option for the 2016 season, thus making him a free agent come July 1st. With him likely not costing as much in terms of a contract, should Bird and the Pacers at least take a look at bringing him back?

The rumors come amid a few of Stephenson’s likes on his verified Twitter account regarding the Pacers.

Seems sort of interesting that Stephenson is set to hit the free agent market come early Friday morning and is favoriting tweets from Pacers fans talking about his return to the team.

After all, it is just mere speculation and the Pacers don’t necessarily appear to have much of a need for Stephenson with both Rodney Stuckey and Monta Ellis on the roster at the two.

Next: Indiana Pacers: Five Realistic 2016 Free Agent Targets

Bird is a smart man though and did appear to be the only one who could keep Stephenson in control despite all of his antics throughout the years — as well as being perhaps his biggest fan. If Bird sees some use for Stephenson, I wouldn’t put it past him in terms of at least giving the 25-year-old a look.

Be sure to follow Ink On Indy as we continue our coverage of the Indiana Pacers’ offseason.

More from Ink on Indy

• Still Searching for Their Groove, Pacers Take on Struggling Magic Thursday Night
• Pacers Travel to the Nation’s Capital to Begin Four Game Road Trip
• Update on Pacers’ Oladipo’s Serious Leg Injury
• Has Romeo Langford Been a Disappointment for the Hoosiers?
• The Indianapolis Colts Have a Brutal Road Schedule in 2019