With the infinite Paul George trade rumors flying around and him reportedly being set on playing for the Los Angeles Lakers, the Indiana Pacers may have to start planning for life without PG. Indiana has some talented pieces in place but it also depends on what they get in return for George if they were to end up pulling the trigger on a deal.
One position the Pacers find themselves tinkering with is point guard. After reuniting with Lance Stephenson last season, Gregg Doyel of The Indianapolis Star reports that Pacers President Kevin Pritchard is considering starting the conventional shooting guard at point:
For Pacers rebuild, source says Kevin Pritchard is considering Lance Stephenson as the point guard. Lance has lost 10-plus lbs, looks great.
— Gregg Doyel (@GreggDoyelStar) June 19, 2017
At 6’5″, Lance Stephenson has had no difficulty playing both wing positions but his solid handling and passing abilities have always stood out. Stephenson can push the tempo and his exciting athleticism would provide for no shortage of highlight plays if he was to be a starting piece in Indiana’s backcourt.
Though the Pacers traded for Jeff Teague in a three-team deal with the Atlanta Hawks last summer, he is scheduled to become a free agent on July 1st and may depart Indiana after just one season. If the Pacers were to hand the reins to Stephenson, they could let Teague walk and use the money they would’ve spent on extending him with another free agent.
A lot remains to be seen, however, as the Pacers could also add some assets if they decide to cut ties with Paul George this offseason as opposed to losing him for nothing in 2018. If Stephenson does run the show for Indiana one thing is for certain, his flamboyant play style will make for an entertaining era in Indiana.
