The Hornets may look at a Lance Stephenson trade at the deadline this season after talks broke down with the Brooklyn Nets and if they make a move, teams like the Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Lakers, LA Clippers, Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers could be options for Charlotte, while the Nets also could be in the mix if they move Brook Lopez for Kendrick Perkins.
ESPN.com and other news outlets had been reporting a potential trade with Stephenson going to Brooklyn in a three-team deal, but those talks died out. According to ESPN the Magazine writer Chris Broussard, the Nets, Hornets and Thunder were talking about a deal with Stephenson and Brook Lopez that would have sent Stephenson to the Nets, Lopez to Oklahoma City and Jeremy Lamb to Charlotte, but those talks broke down. Broussard later reported that the Thunder and Nets were talking a deal without the Hornets involved.
Marc Stein at ESPN.com wrote that the deal breaking down between the Nets and Hornets doesn't mean that Stephenson won't be traded and that Brooklyn could remain in play until the deadline. The Nets are trying to reshape their roster and this year they have shopped Brook Lopez, Deron Williams and Joe Johnson to teams. Broussard writes that the Stephenson trade is "dead for now" but that the teams could pick up on it closer to the deadline.
The Nets are now working on a deal to send Lopez to the Thunder and they would get Kendrick Perkins in return. The other deal broke down between the three teams because the salary cap requirements to get it done couldn't be met by the sides at this time. After the Lopez trade the teams could look at making a deal again, but right now the move is off. The Nuggets have been shopping players this offseason and they could also look at Stephenson, as they have Arron Afflalo and Wilson Chandler as potential targets.
Stephenson signed a three year contract in the offseason with the Hornets and earlier in the month reports came out that the team was shopping him in trades. RealGM reported that numerous teams inquired about Stephenson to the Hornets and that the Brooklyn Nets would be a team that Stephenson would be open to playing for. The Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat and Clippers all had contact with the Hornets about Stephenson, but nothing moved past that initial interest. Pro Basketball Talk reports that the Nuggets were a team that was interested in Stephenson, but also that the Hornets appear willing to stick with him for the rest of the season.
Stephenson has rubbed teammates the wrong way in the past, including last season when he was blamed for causing discord in the Pacers locker room. Reports from multiple media outlets pointed to Stephenson as one of the reasons the team nearly collapsed down the stretch. The 24-year-old had a breakout season with the Pacers two years ago and started every game last season, but Indiana did not re-sign him in the offseason. The Hornets have had a very tough season so far and while they feel Stephenson is talented, they do not see him fitting in long term in Charlotte.
