7.) Lance Stephenson (Blend = 7.7)
May 30, 2014; Miami, FL, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Lance Stephenson (1) wipes his face during a game against the Miami Heat in game six of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2014 NBA Playoffs at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Advanced Stats: PER=14.7, Win Shares=.130, RPM=1.07, Wins Produced=.215, ASPM=2.05
Lance Stephenson ranks as only the seventh best shooting guard in the NBA, but his ceiling is (arguably) the highest. Unfortunately, people tend to let extraneous issues cloud their judgement when evaluating Stephenson’s talent. Antics aside, he’s a well-rounded and efficient scorer, a dynamic play-maker, and most importantly, he is willing to compete when others are ready to mail it in.
He does however, have his shortcomings. His decision making can result in too many unnecessary turnovers, his athleticism hasn’t resulted in a positive defensive impact, and his antics tend to motivate the other team’s best players. Also, he steals a lot of rebounds from his teammates, as evidenced by the fact that despite ranking first in total rebounds for the Pacers, he only ranked eighth in contested rebound percentage. Still, the future looks bright for Lance, and with the opportunity to spread his wings in Charlotte, we may get to see just how good he can be.