Indiana Pacers swingman Lance Stephenson says he’s willing to do whatever it takes to get his team over the hump, even if it means relinquishing his starting job and returning to a reserve role.
The Pacers battled the eventual NBA champion Miami Heat to a seven game series in the Eastern Conference finals before falling, and with All-Star forward Danny Granger set to return next season some are expecting the gap between the two teams to be even closer this season.
With Granger expected to move back into the starting lineup, Stephenson might be asked to resume the sixth man role he was slotted into before Granger’s injury. Mentally the 23-year-old, four-year vet seems already there.
“I’m just coming in to play hard,” Stephenson told the Indianapolis Star. “Whatever coach (Frank Vogel) decides to do, I think it’s a great decision. Me coming off the bench, Danny coming off the bench, either way, we’re deep. Whatever helps the team, that’s what I want.”
In town to participate in the Indy Pro-Am Summer League, Stephenson says he plans to spend this summer preparing for next season the same he did for last year’s breakout campaign.
“I love to play up and down,” he told The Star. “I don’t like running on the treadmill to get in shape. I try to use the Pro-Am to get in shape playing up-and-down basketball.”
Stephenson admitted he has slowed down long enough to reflect on the season the Pacers had last year and the huge role be came to play in it all.
“I got more consistent with my jump shot,” he said. “But really, it was just playing hard and playing good defense. Do whatever it takes to stay on the floor. If I stay like that, the sky is the limit for me and the Pacers.”
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