Celtics @ 7: Should C's Target Lance Stephenson?
BOSTON (CBS) -- It should be no surprise that the Boston Celtics are one of the more active teams when it comes to working the phones on the trade front.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, the Celtics are among 10 teams looking to improve at this early part of the season.
Also on the trade front, the Charlotte Hornets are already looking to part ways with Lance Stephenson, a talented shooting guard who also happens to be a bit of a head case. Stephenson made a name for himself with some strong play in the playoffs last season for the Indiana Pacers, but his numbers are down and the Hornets are a disappointing 6-18 on the season.
Should the Celtics make a run at Stephenson? 98.5 The Sports Hub's Adam Jones and Rich Keefe discussed the C's targeting Stephenson on Tuesday night's edition of Celtics @ 7, and Jones thinks that acquiring the fifth-year guard would be the best of both worlds for the Celtics.
"If you're Danny Ainge and you have a team that isn't very good, or not a market where NBA stars want to come to… how do you get players there? You have to draft them or trade for them. This is an opportunity to buy low – ridiculously low – on a player who was a high-caliber player last year on a good team," said Jones.
"I believe if you get him in here and he doesn't work out, you can still turn around and trade him because that contract is still tradeable," Jones added (Stephenson will make $9 million next season with a team option for the 2016-2017 season). "I don't even think you have to get rid of a player; it's probably a trade exception or an expiring contract. They're giving him away. They want to get rid of the contract and the head case."
Jones noted that Stephenson and Celtics guard Evan Turner had some issues last season when they were teammates in Indiana, so Turner could be part of the package Ainge sends to Charlotte.
"You should be looking to acquire Stephenson because it's the best of both worlds; you can still compete this year if you add him, and he's still an asset for the future," said Jones. "Rondo-Stephenson-Green and your young frontcourt, now you're talking about a team who can make a run at the seventh or eighth seed in the conference... or if you trade away Rondo or some of your assets, you still have something to show for it next year, in the offseason, the year after that. You're not locked into long money with Stephenson, so he's the best of both worlds.
"I'd love to see him here, especially if the Celtics can get him for next to nothing," said Jones.
Tune in to The Adam Jones Show weeknights on 98.5 The Sports Hub!
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