Still just 26 and seven seasons into his NBA career, veteran guard Lance Stephenson seeks a place to play and the Timberwolves need a wing player who can absorb missing minutes now that starting shooting guard Zach LaVine’s season is over because of an injured knee.
Each side’s situation is expected to bring the two together on a 10-day contract by Wednesday.
After Tuesday’s practice, Timberwolves coach Tom Thibodeau called Stephenson “one of the guys we’re strongly considering” to provide help on the wing for a team that has started veteran Brandon Rush at shooting guard in the two games since LaVine’s injury Friday at Detroit.
Thibodeau also played point guards Ricky Rubio and Tyus Jones together the entire fourth quarter in Monday’s 115-113 home loss to Miami while rookie Kris Dunn remains out (hand).
A pivotal player on the Indiana team that pushed LeBron James and mighty Miami to a seventh game in the 2013 Eastern Conference finals, Stephenson has played for five NBA teams, including three in the past year. He played six games with New Orleans to start this season, but was waived in mid-November two days after he sustained a groin injury.
Thibodeau and General Manager Scott Layden considered signing Stephenson last summer. Thibodeau knows him well from when he coached Chicago and Stephenson played a provocative role on Pacers teams that reached consecutive Eastern Conference finals.
“He has shown he has been a very good player in this league,” Thibodeau said.
Stephenson made a name for himself before he ever became a regular rotation player. As a relative unknown, he flashed a choke gesture from the bench toward LeBron James after James missed a free throw during the 2012 playoffs. The next season, he played himself to prominence when the two teams met again in the playoffs. The teams met a third consecutive year in the 2014 playoffs, when Stephenson famously blew in James’ ear in an attempt to unnerve the game’s greatest player.
Stephenson, James’ former Miami teammate Mario Chalmers, Kirk Hinrich and Jordan Farmar worked out as free agents for the Cavaliers last week.
A former New York City prep star who played one collegiate season at Cincinnati, Stephenson was a second-round draft pick whose best statistical season was 2013-14 when he averaged 13.8 points for the Pacers. He averaged 14.2 points in 26 games after he was traded from the Los Angeles Clippers to injury-ravaged Memphis at last season’s trade deadline.
Wolves veteran center Cole Aldrich played with Stephenson when both were with the Clippers.
“He brings a toughness, a defensive mind, an older guy,” Aldrich said. “He’s not real old, but he’s got five, six years in the league. He brings playoff experience.”
Thibodeau said players who play multiple positions — such as Andrew Wiggins, Shabazz Muhammad and Nemanja Bjelica — and a two point-guard backcourt can help compensate for LaVine’s absence.
But he also said the team needs to add a player.
“We probably need more wing help right now with Zach out,” Thibodeau said.
Stephenson would be such a player.
“That would be good,” Wiggins said. “He’s a proven vet, good player, good playmaker. I feel like he could help us out.”
Note
• Forward Adreian Payne will be sidelined indefinitely while being treated for a low platelet count. A team statement said his prognosis is good and he would return when team physicians clear him to play.
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