NBA Rumors: Former Laker Airs Wish To Return, Warriors Stint Plausible

Lance Stephenson wrapped up his Chinese Basketball Association stint recently, and now, the 29-year-old is eyeing an NBA return. Stephenson last suited up for the Los Angeles Lakers but was left out in the summer. One thing he did say at the time is that he hopes that it was not his last NBA game.

With no takers, the 6-foot-6 swingman agreed to play for the Liaoning Flying Leopards in the CBA. He played 29 games, averaging 26.7 points on a 52.2-percent shooting clip. Now, Stephenson hopes to resume his NBA career if any team would be willing to take him in.

Aware of how hard it is right now to make the roster of any squad, Stephenson is ready to work for it. Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reported that the 40th overall pick of the 2010 NBA Draft is ready to work out and prove his value. The question now is which team would take a chance on Stephenson.

As most know, several teams are in search of a reliable wingman. Though he owns decent averages, there are other players like Stephenson also waiting for a chance to crack an NBA lineup. Stephenson holds NBA career averages of 49.4-percent from the field and 31.5 percent from the three-point region, Basketball-Reference.com reported.

In a previous post, it was reported that the Los Angeles Lakers were allegedly considering a reunion with the temperamental swingman. Unfortunately, a new twist has entered the mix. The purple and gold are reportedly keen on signing Markieff Morris with DeMarcus Cousins set to be waived. The Lakers have a full roster and the chances of them cutting off another player in favor or Stephenson are not that high.

Though it would be sweet for Stephenson to join an NBA contender, only the Philadelphia 76ers loom as the franchise who can accommodate him. If he lowers his expectations a bit, he could be fit to teams in rebuild mode. One plausible destination is the Golden State Warriors.

In a previous report, it was mentioned how Steve Kerr is handing out 10-day deals to players who can play for them this season. Severely undermanned, only Dragan Bender has so far been identified as one of the players taking the offer. Stephenson could be a logical candidate and his agent may want to look into it.

Also, Stephenson could be one of those overlooked veterans that could fit in with the Dubs rebuild. Players like Shaun Livingston and Andre Iguodala were able to revive their careers - something Stephenson may also want to factor in.