Why Did Lance Stephenson Leave The NBA?

Many NBA fans were surprised when Lance Stephenson announced he was leaving the league to play in China. Why did he make this decision?

Reasons for leaving

In American professional basketball, very few players have had the chance to play for as many teams as Lance Stephenson. In his case, this isn’t due to a lack of skill or poor attitude, but because of something much deeper.His story begins in Brooklyn, New York, where he was born on September 5, 1990, and raised by his mother, Felecia Stephenson. Growing up, he watched his father, Lance Sr., play basketball in local parks and dreamed of one day making it to the NBA himself.

Lack of playing time

One of the primary reasons that Stephenson chose to leave the NBA was due to a lack of playing time. In his final season with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Stephenson averaged just 9.7 minutes per game, by far the lowest mark of his career. It’s understandable that Stephenson would want to leave a situation like that in order to play elsewhere and have a chance at more significant playing time.

Poor team chemistry

When an NBA player leaves a team, there are usually several reasons for the decision. In some cases, it’s simply a matter of following the money to a bigger contract elsewhere. But other times, it can be due to poor team chemistry or a difference in basketball philosophy with the coaching staff.

For Lance Stephenson, it appears to be a combination of both factors. The guard was recently traded from the Los Angeles Clippers to the Memphis Grizzlies, and it’s clear that he wasn’t happy about it.

In an interview with ESPN’s The Undefeated, Stephenson said that he didn’t see eye-to-eye with Clippers head coach Doc Rivers:

“I feel like I just didn’t have that much of an opportunity. I feel like I could have played better in some games and gotten more playing time if given the chance. Some games I didn’t play at all. It was hard to get in a groove.”

It’s also worth noting that Stephenson wasn’t particularly popular with his teammates either. In fact, there were reports of him getting into verbal altercations with both Rivers and All-Star forward Blake Griffin during practice.

So while Stephenson may have been unhappy with his role on the Clippers, it seems that his poor team chemistry was also a factor in his decision to move on.

Low salary

It’s no secret that the NBA doesn’t pay rookies very much. In fact, the league has a wage scale in place that limits how much first and second year players can make. This means that even if Stephenson was drafted by a rich team, he would still be making close to the league minimum.

In contrast, Europe doesn’t have any restrictions on what teams can pay their players. This means that a talented player like Stephenson could easily make several times as much money if he decided to go overseas.

Of course, there are other factors to consider besides money. For example, the level of competition in the NBA is much higher than it is in Europe. Additionally, NBA players also get to play in front of huge crowds and receive a ton of media attention.

In the end, it appears that Stephenson left the NBA because he was offered a lot more money to play basketball in Europe. It will be interesting to see if he ends up regretting his decision.

Where is he now?

Lance Stephenson, who was an NBA player for the Indiana Pacers, Charlotte Hornets, and Los Angeles Clippers, left the NBA in 2019. He is now playing professional basketball in China for the Liaoning Flying Leopards.

Playing in China

In 2015, Stephenson signed with the Charlotte Hornets, but his production and minutes per game continued to decline. After one season with the Hornets, he was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers. He was again traded the following year, this time to the Memphis Grizzlies. In 2016-17, Stephenson played for three different NBA teams: the New Orleans Pelicans, Minnesota Timberwolves and the Pelicans again. In 2017, he signed a one-year deal with the Indiana Pacers, the team that drafted him back in 2010.

In 2018, Stephenson signed a deal to play for the Liaoning Flying Leopards of China. He is currently still playing for Liaoning.

Working on his own clothing line

Lance Stephenson, who once played for the Indiana Pacers, Charlotte Hornets, Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, New Orleans Pelicans and Minnesota Timberwolves over nine seasons in the NBA, is now working on his own clothing line. The line is called “Born Ready” and features shirts, hats and other apparel. Stephenson has said that he was inspired to start the clothing line by his love of fashion and his desire to help people express themselves.

How NBA fans are reacting

On July 8th, 2020, Lance Stephenson announced his retirement from the NBA. This came as a surprise to many NBA fans, as Stephenson had just signed a one-year, $4.5 million contract with the Los Angeles Clippers. In his ten-year career, Stephenson had been a part-time starter and role player for six different NBA teams. So, why did he leave the NBA?

Some are happy he’s gone

Many NBA fans are happy that Lance Stephenson is no longer in the league. They feel that he was a troublemaker and a distraction, and that his departure will be good for the league. Some also feel that his off-court antics were a turn-off for fans, and that his on-court behavior was often unsportsmanlike.

Some are sad to see him go

Despite being talented, Lance Stephenson was never able to find a true home in the NBA. He played for 8 teams in 10 years, and while he put up some good numbers along the way, he always seemed to end up back on the bench or out of the rotation entirely. Now, after a short stint with the Los Angeles Lakers, Stephenson has left the NBA to play in China.

Many fans are sad to see him go. While he was never a superstar, he was always an entertaining player to watch. He was never afraid to take on anyone, no matter how big or how small they were. He also had a habit of getting under his opponents’ skin, which often led to technical fouls or even ejections.

Some fans are glad to see him go, though. They feel like he was always a troublemaker and that he never lived up to his potential. They also believe that his style of play is not conducive to winning basketball games.

It remains to be seen whether or not Stephenson will be successful in China. However, it is clear that his time in the NBA has come to an end.

Some think he made a mistake

When Lance Stephenson announced he was leaving the NBA to pursue a career in music, many of his fans were shocked. While some think he made a mistake, others are supportive of his decision and wish him the best.

On social media, many NBA fans have been expressing their opinions on Stephenson’s decision. Some think that he is making a mistake by leaving the NBA, while others are supportive of his decision and wish him the best.

Those who think he is making a mistake say that he is giving up on his dream of playing in the NBA, and that he will never be as good at music as he is at basketball. They also say that he is wasting his talent by not pursuing a career in basketball.

Those who are supportive of his decision say that he has been through a lot in his life and deserves to pursue whatever makes him happy. They also say that he has shown talent in both basketball and music, so there is no reason why he can’t be successful in both fields.