Memphis Grizzlies Decline Option On Lance Stephenson, Allow Him To Become NBA Free Agent


Lance Stephenson now has a very big decision to make. According to CBS Sports, the Memphis Grizzlies have declined to pick up his contract option. That means Stephenson is now a free agent and can sign with any NBA team that he chooses. He should have a couple of options.

It wasn’t that long ago that Lance Stephenson was considered one of the better players in the NBA. His versatility made him a weapon for the Indiana Pacers, a team that was contending for a championship. Back then, executives in the National Basketball Association were intrigued by the thought of adding someone like Stephenson to their roster.

Since his stock had risen so high in the NBA, Lance Stephenson and his agent decided to demand a ton of money. Though the Indiana Pacers loved having him in their rotation, team president Larry Bird was not willing to pay the price that was being asked.

Lance Stephenson needed a place in the NBA that would give him a chance to showcase his skills, so that he and his agent could command a bigger contract down the road. Stephenson was able to find a suitable situation with the Charlotte Hornets, a team that needed as much talent as possible.

Thanks to that flexible deal with the Charlotte Hornets, Lance Stephenson was owed $9.4 million next season if the Memphis Grizzlies, who acquired the 6-foot, 5-inch guard from the Los Angeles Clippers in a trade, decided to pick up the option on the contract. The Grizzlies decided that they wanted to cut Stephenson loose.

According to Yahoo! Sports, the Memphis Grizzlies decided to let Lance Stephenson loose because they wanted to have as much salary cap space as possible because the team needed to sign starting point guard Mike Conley to a massive deal. Some in the NBA feel that Conley could command a maximum contract.

Memphis Grizzlies guard Mike Conley
Mike Conley [Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images]
Though the Memphis Grizzlies decided to not pick up the option on his contract, there’s still a chance that Lance Stephenson wears the same uniform next season. Once they secure the rights to Mike Conley, the Grizzlies could turn their attention to Stephenson.

Lance Stephenson wasn’t much of an asset for the Los Angeles Clippers. Head coach Doc Rivers was hoping that Stephenson would become a valuable contributor off the bench. However, that never happened. Stephenson found himself glued to the bench because he could not provide what Rivers was looking for.

Once traded to the Memphis Grizzlies, Lance Stephenson saw that expectations had been lowered. That made it easier for the 25-year-old to focus on playing basketball. Though he wasn’t a star for the Grizzlies, Stephenson became someone that was asset for the team, especially since there were so many injuries last season.

Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol
Marc Gasol [Photo by J Pat Carter/Getty Images]
According to Bleacher Report, Lance Stephenson could have some leverage with the Memphis Grizzlies in negotiations. New Grizzlies head coach David Fizdale is going to need as much talent on the roster as possible in his first season on the job. If free agents avoid Memphis, then Stephenson can help solve that problem.

Another reason why Lance Stephenson might have leverage with the Memphis Grizzlies is because of his versatility. The veteran can easily play both shooting guard and small forward. For small bursts of time, Stephenson can also play the point guard position and power forward position in a small ball lineup.

The once promising career of Lance Stephenson has hit a bit of a snag as of late. Now that the Memphis Grizzlies have cut him loose, it’ll be interesting to see what he and his agent decide to do with his NBA career.

[Photo by Thearon W Henderson/Getty Images]

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