May 28, 2014; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Lance Stephenson (1) guards Miami Heat forward LeBron James (6) during the fourth quarter in game five of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2014 NBA Playoffs at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Indiana defeats Miami 93-90. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
There is going to be a lot of activity going on this summer with all of the big name free agents (THE REAL ONES) who will probably opt out this summer. You guys know them all, let’s name them all…
LeBron James
The all around best player in the NBA, the world, the universe, the galaxy. You know the one that is chasing the three-peat as of this writing.
Dwyane Wade
Even though LeBron James is the star of the Heat. Wade is what’s causing all of this. His efficiency and sacrifice is the reason why the Miami Heat is the four-time Eastern Conference champions and have the chance to be three-time world champions.
Chris Bosh
The maligned player of the “Big Three”. Bosh has probably had to change his game at least three times or more since coming to Miami. When the Heat lose, he’s the first one everyone usually blames.
Dirk Nowitzki
The face of the Dallas Mavericks. The franchise player. The best European player in NBA history. Dirk can still crack open a 40 and pour it on a team.
Carmelo Anthony
Coming off a career year where the New York Knicks did not make the playoffs. Opting out his contract and has a choice to make. Take a pay cut or leave for free agency.
The first four players aren’t going anywhere. If the Heat win (which I think they will) they are dealing with some real historical teams that could be considered one of the greatest of all time. The “Big Three” knows this and are not taking it for granted. They are not leaving. Nowitzki IS the Dallas Mavericks and Mark Cuban can’t justify not resigning him.
Carmelo Anthony is the only one on this list that might go. I just don’t think so. The Knicks can still pay the man more than any other team.
The one player that a lot of teams will be looking at will be Lance Stephenson.
Yeah, THAT Lance Stephenson. The guy who said in public loudly that he had found LeBron James’ “weakness”. Oh yeah, that worked. Let’s take a close look at that.
You weren’t even a first round pick. LeBron was the number one pick overall. You are a guy that don’t even make one million dollars a year. LeBron made one million dollars ten seconds ago. You are a guy that never made a All-Star team. LeBron James has NEVER MISSED an All-Star game. You are not even the star of your OWN team. LeBron is the star of the ENTIRE NBA! Lance Stephenson decided that he had gotten in the head of the best player in the world. Let’s see if he did shall we?
LeBron James scored 32 points and grabbed ten rebounds. Lance Stephenson scored nine points which included absolutely…well let me put it this way. Close your eyes. What do you see? Nothing? That’s what Lance Stephenson scored in the first half! Lance Stephenson saying that he knows LeBron James’ weakness is like me saying that our esteemed President Mr. Barack Obama can’t read.
But did Lance Stephenson learn? Uhh, no. When the Pacers won Game five. everyone was abuzz about Lance Stephenson blowing in Lebron’s ear. Let’s be clear here. LeBron was in foul trouble and never got his rhythm and the Heat STILL almost won the game.
Well I guess LeBron got a little upset and proceeded with his teammates most notably Dwyane Wade, who Lance Stephenson made reference about his knees to basically destroy the Indiana Pacers and send them back to Indiana with a lot of questions about their future and a foot in their collective behinds.
Did that stop Lance Stephenson? No! He took time in the game to tap LeBron in the face. Then he stood over him after getting tangled under the basket and slapped Norris Cole in the face in the second quarter (What’s with Lance and people’s faces?)
Let’s see if all that worked. Well with 3:39 left in the third quarter, the Heat was leading 86-49. That’s a 37 point lead. After a layup by James. Hands to all the people who thinks that Lance Stephenson was helping his team. Umm, can’t find one, oh there’s one hand. Hi Lance! To all that thought Lance’s antics angered the Heat and they commenced to embarrass the daylights out of Indiana, a show of hands. Unanimous.
If Lance Stephenson has an agent (bless the man) and he calls the Bulls front office, I have one thing to say…hang up. No scratch that, screen the calls and don’t take the call. Do you want a guy who single-handedly destroyed the Indiana Pacers chemistry? Do you want a self-serving basketball player that spent the second half of the season chasing his own stats? Oh that kind of coincided with the Indiana Pacers swoon that they never recovered from.
Around the end of the season, Roy Hibbert told reporters that there were a lot of selfishness going on in the locker room. Umm wonder who he was talking about? Maybe it was Lance Stephenson? Maybe not. You know he did stink up the joint at times during the playoffs so let’s use another example. Paul George said he didn’t know if he wanted Lance Stephenson back next year. The franchise player doesn’t know if he wants Lance Stephenson back. Does that tell you something?
Boy wouldn’t Tom Thibodeau love this guy. A loose cannon who misses defensive assignments like a college freshmen misses 8:00 classes after a frat party. A player that actually annoyed Larry Bird. A NBA legend that tried to mentor this guy. As bad is he is now. Think of how bad he COULD have been. He might have made Ron Artest (I refuse to call this man Metta World Peace) look like Gandhi.
This guy is a ticking time bomb that the Bulls need to ignore. Can he play? Yes. Will he compete? Sure. But this is a guy that will send this team to the lottery next year if he’s signed to a long-term deal. You see what he did to the Eastern Conference number one seed. What do you think he’ll do to this Chicago Bulls team. Hey Gar Forman! If Lance Stephenson calls…RUN!