NBA veteran Lance Stephenson was hoping to make a comeback to the league for the 2021-22 season. He has not appeared in an NBA game since playing with the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2018-19 campaign.
Stephenson went through the workout circuit this offseason hoping to land an NBA deal. While that contract didn’t come, he didn’t stop pursuing a path back to the league. It will just be a little more winding as Stephenson is playing in the G League with the Grand Rapid Gold, who is the affiliate team for the Denver Nuggets.
The Brooklyn native has played in six games thus far with the Gold. They are 4-2 in those games as Stephenson has played at a high level.
He has averaged 18.3 points per game, which is second on the team behind Nik Stauskas. Stephenson is pulling down 7.3 rebounds to go along with 2.2 assists in 32.5 minutes per game. He is shooting well from the field as well, making 46 percent of his shots overall and 38.5 percent of his 3-point attempts.
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Recently, Stephenson had an interview with HoopsHype covering plenty of topics, including his goal of returning to the NBA. He was asked what he thought he could bring to an NBA team right now and Stephenson believes he would bring a lot to the table.
“Definitely veteran experience. I can help a team out with hitting open shots, knowing where to be at on the defensive end, making smart plays, and just being that guy that can be a leader, and help guys.”
The 31-year old has nine years of NBA experience under his belt. It would not be a surprise if teams reach out later on in the season when 10-day contracts are more prevalent, especially if a team experiences some injuries on the wing.
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Lance Stephenson would be able to step right into a role and you know that he could handle the pressure and bright lights of the playoffs. He has played 57 games in the postseason, including numerous matchups with LeBron James and his Miami Heat.
