Honorable Mention: Lance Stephenson, Team Option
Position: Shooting Guard
Age: 25
Slash Line: .481/.385/.784
Season Averages: 19.9 MPG, 8.3 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 1.9 APG
Lance Stephenson is the all-time leading scorer in the history of New York State high school basketball. His NBA career hasn’t been quite as fruitful, but during his tenure with the Memphis Grizzlies, he began to show some of what made him special with the Indiana Pacers.
If Phil Jackson believes the Triangle Offense can create the necessary structure for Stephenson to thrive, he should explore the possibility of making him the Knicks’ sixth man.
In 26 regular season games with the Grizzlies, Stephenson averaged 14.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.8 assists on a slash line of .474/.355/.815. He did so in just 26.6 minutes, which creates per 36 averages of 19.2 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 3.8 assists.
Stephenson even averaged 13.0 points on 52.3 percent shooting during the playoffs.
The reality is, Stephenson is a contract-year player whose improvements are uncertain to stick. He has a great history in New York City, and played quite well in Memphis, but there’s a legitimate possibility that New York gets the Charlotte Hornets version of Stephenson.
This would be a massive gamble, but if Jackson believes he can reach Stephenson in his Zen Master ways, it’s certainly a possibility.
Next: Sharpshooting Veteran