Indiana Pacers: Pass or pursue on the team’s upcoming free agents

Should Lance Stephenson remain on the Indiana Pacers roster next season?

One of the few joys in this rather dejecting season was the reunion of Lance Stephenson and the Indiana Pacers for the former’s third stint with the franchise. He wasn’t expected nor tabbed on to play a prominent role, but as a veteran presence off the bench, he managed to be productive, registering 9.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game in just 18.6 minutes per contest.

With the Pacers on the travails of a rebuild, keeping Stephenson is not a priority, though it is not a knack to his game at all. Indiana could be a key player in the player movement front this summer, and they may not have enough roster spots to keep accommodating him.

Just kidding.

Young teams need that veteran who can bind them together as they trek through the highs and lows of being an inexperienced bunch. Fortunately, Born Ready is more than just a presence, he is Indiana, a culture-setter. better yet, he can be productive in spurts, and his infamous antics on the court have dwindled for the better.

Re-signing Stephenson should not be costly at all. Heck, there’s also little to no risk in having him animate the Pacers bench once more and spark a run or two at times. Discussions could be hazier than what fans would want, but as of now, this is a rather easy call to make.

Verdict: Pursue