LeBron James has been asking for a playmaker to help alleviate the Cleveland Cavaliers' problems at their lack of a backup point guard, and the team has responded by bringing in a few veterans to work out for them. Kirk Hinrich, Jordan Farmar, Mario Chalmers, and Lance Stephenson are the free agents who will be trying out for the Cavs, and of all the names on this short list, Lance Stephenson is the one who stands out the most.
James and Stephenson have plenty of history dating back to the latter's time with the Indiana Pacers. Stephenson infamously blew in LeBron's ear during a playoff game against the Miami Heat back in 2014. Despite having been a thorn on LeBron's side in the past, the four-time MVP says he has no problem with teaming up with Stephenson.
"I just want to win, man. That's all that matters to me. I got no personal problems with nobody", James said during an interview at shootaround last Wednesday. Despite the antagonistic past, the two have had with one another, it is pretty easy to understand why James would welcome Stephenson with open arms. He is leading the league in minutes played and the Cavs have been on a slump winning only 4 of their last 11 games. Yahoo Sports' Kelly Dwyer has described the Cavs current struggles as similar to that of the 2010-2011 Miami Heat when LeBron first joined the team.
The Cavs are currently only 2.5 games above the Boston Celtics for the top spot in the Eastern Conference. Adding a versatile player like Stephenson to their roster could help alleviate some of their woes as he can create his own shots, set up teammates, and can be a pesky defender on the floor.
Stephenson signed with the New Orleans Pelicans during the offseason but had to undergo surgery for a groin injury. The Pelicans ended up releasing him due to roster constraints. Per ESPN, Stephenson averaged 9.7 points, 4.8 assists, and 3.0 rebounds in the six games he played for the Pelicans.
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