Most players renegotiating contracts with their current teams will at least consider a hometown discount. Lance Stephenson apparently was charging a hometown tax.
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USA TODAY Sports reports that Indiana Pacers Team President Larry Bird remains mystified at the negotiating process the team conducted with Stephenson and his agent.
Stephenson basically walked away from $26 million to go to a team that is farther down the food chain in the NBA's Eastern Conference.
With LeBron James leaving the Miami Heat for the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Pacers likely would have been considered a slight Eastern Conference favorite over James' Cavaliers, who are talented but young, and the Chicago Bulls, who are dependent on a healthy Derrick Rose to contend.
Stephenson turned down the Pacers' five-year, $44 million offer to sign with the Charlotte Hornets for three years and $27 million, although the Hornets hold the option for the third season.
According to USA TODAY Sports, Stephenson's agent sought at least a salary in the $12 million to $14 million range per season from the Pacers, Bird said.
It was a price Bird wasn't willing to pay. Or apparently anyone else in the league.
Stephenson apparently agreed to the shorter deal based on the belief that the salary cap will increase significantly and he can sign for a bigger deal. But then why would he give the Hornets the option for the third year.
And by the way, the Pacers also were willing to give Stephenson a shorter-term contract to give him a chance to make more with another couple of great seasons.
"It's just disappointing,'' Bird told the Indianapolis Star."When I'd go to practices, when he was on, he was by far our best player. And he worked. If you work as hard as he does, you're going to get better. I'm going to miss the kid, no question. And he's growing up. That stuff he pulled in the playoffs, that was out of the blue. But I knew how good Lance was and the value he brought to our team.''
But Stephenson opted out of the $26 million guaranteed later for $400,000 now for a team that doesn't appear ready yet to contend for a championship. By the time it might be, Charlotte will have to contend with a fully functional Cleveland Cavaliers team that will have built a team around James and Kyrie Irving - and either Kevin Love or Andrew Wiggins.
Stephenson just put pressure on himself to play lights out for the Hornets for the move to make any sense. But had he played lights out for the Pacers, he'd be exactly in the same situation. ...
If not better.
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