Yeah lol, if anything I'm mad at Charlotte that this is all they can get for Lance Stephenson. Barnes is close to being done and Hawes is a solid back up big. Stephenson is at least a starter if he plays with his head on his shoulders.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">To be clear on Barnes: Only $1M of his salary is guaranteed for next season if he's waived by July 1. Otherwise, Charlotte owes him $3.5M.</p>— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/status/610610081374322689">June 16, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Damn- I guess Charlotte wanted to dump Stephenson that badly. His contract was big, but who was Charlotte going to attract in free agency anyway? Guess they have someone targeted this offseason.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">NEWS: Hornets acquire Clippers' Spencer Hawes, Matt Barnes in exchange for Lance Stephenson <a href="http://t.co/UCp9eqmrkM">http://t.co/UCp9eqmrkM</a> <a href="http://t.co/gFTW1pb5yx">pic.twitter.com/gFTW1pb5yx</a></p>— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) <a href="https://twitter.com/hornets/status/610617850403942400">June 16, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> [rQUOTEr]June 15, 2015 – Charlotte Hornets General Manager Rich Cho announced today that the team has acquired center Spencer Hawes and forward Matt Barnes from the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for guard Lance Stephenson. “We are pleased to add a pair of proven veterans to our team,” Cho said. “Spencer Hawes is an experienced big man whose outside shooting gives us additional flexibility on offense. Matt Barnes is an experienced veteran who knows the NBA.” “We’d like to thank Lance for his contributions last season,” Cho said. “He was a consummate professional during his time with us.”[/rQUOTEr]
I dig that if I were the Clippers, Stephenson was a beast in the playoffs last time he was there They are taking risks and that is what you do in the West. I hope GSW deteriorates and teams in the West can catch up so that the overall level is more balanced.
Hmmmm... interesting. I'm thinking they're hoping he can develop into their defense/attitude/intangibles guy alongside CP3, BG, and DJ. A sort of fiery Rodman that can show up in the playoffs. I sort of like it for the Clippers, but don't like the trend of talent constantly shifting to the West.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Hornets GM Rich Cho: “We are pleased to add a pair of proven veterans to our team. Spencer Hawes is an experienced big man (1/2)</p>— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) <a href="https://twitter.com/ArashMarkazi/status/610620104590655488">June 16, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
I like the trade for both teams. Clippers give up trash to get a guy who MIGHT be a very good rotation player. They don't have much cap room to do anything except a reach like this. It's worth a try. For the Hornets, they had to get rid of Stephenson. After cutting Barnes loose, maybe Hawes turns out to be a decent contributor. Or maybe he's a lazy slug just counting his money. Either way, addition by subtraction makes them better off. IMO, Rich Cho has performed poorly in Charlotte. When the Blazers chopped him suddenly, I was on his side. But maybe there was more to it.
Tom was not a consummate professional and did not deserve a professional sendoff.* Who doesn't need an experienced veteran who knows the NBA? *Kidding but the Bulls weren't.
Faint praise indeed. The words Cho used to describe both players makes it obvious he sees a role for Hawes on their team and Barnes will be released.
They wanted to dump lance since february. Not only he was horrible but also a lockroom cancer. This is a team that needs to make the playoffs. Mj is impatient and so is their fanbase. They took a major step back this year. Now even with Big al opting in they can draft a young wing who can shoot (booker) and go all in for the 8th seed. and for the clips it means they will sign pierce or dunleavy.
I don't love the trade if I'm a Clippers fan. Stephenson was horrendous last season. I believe he shot like 36% from the field and 17% from three plus 62% from the foul line. Terrence Jones was a better overall shooter than Lance from everywhere on the court, last season. Offensively, he is a joke if you consistently ask him to create for himself or spot up from three. Clippers need shooting and Lance will provide none of that. Defensively, he is still okay but extremely overrated in my opinion. He had some nice series guarding LeBron and rode that to being defined as a "great" defender. He is an irritant but he will do more harm than good most times. He is basically trying to be an extremely poor man's Ron Artest with a little less baggage but a lot less talent. Being a Rockets fan, I love this deal by the Clippers. They just added a player who thinks he is so much better than he really is, and doesn't fill their needs (shooting around Paul and Griffin).
Useless to say when Lance is indeed a player destined to shine on the biggest stage that are the playoffs. His production on a bad or mediocre team does not wipe out what he did for the Pacers.
