Doc Rivers recently sat down with ESPN writer Zach Lowe to share his perspective on the Clippers. During the interview he was questioned about why Lance Stephenson did not work out for Doc and the Clippers. Doc responded with some harsh words regarding Stephenson’s defensive capabilities.
Zach: Why didn't Lance Stephenson work out?
Doc: I don't know. I like Lance, actually.
Zach: He was solid for Memphis.
Doc: He played great for Memphis. He wasn't a great fit for us. Defensively — that's where I was more disappointed, and shocked. I look at that body, and that athleticism, and I think: That's a prototypical great defender. And he's not that.
Zach: I remember hearing he was getting out of the system a little bit.
Doc: A little bit? [laughs] Yeah. But I'll tell you one thing — he's not a bad kid. He gets cast as this malcontent bad kid, and Lance was never that. I thought he was funny. The guys liked him. But Lance wants to score every time he touches the ball, and he's not that type of guy.
Rivers has reason to be less than enthusiastic about Stephenson's play. Stephenson averaged a disappointing 4.7 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in just under 16 minutes played during his short stint with the Clippers. He was only able to play 43-of-53 games for them during that time.
Things took a dramatic shift when he was traded to the Grizzlies midway through the year. He averaged 14.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.8 assists in just under 27 minutes per game with Memphis.
Either way, given that the Clippers lost their two best players in the first round, Stephenson probably wouldn’t have been the difference to get them passed the Trail Blazers.
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