The Los Angeles Lakers will be one of the most intriguing teams heading into training camp, as they're largely viewed as a bunch of misfits surrounding LeBron James. Among them, Lance Stephenson has had to mold his game, knowing beforehand that James would dominate possessions as the primary playmaker.
The Brooklynite has been putting in work on his jump shot, teeing up a plethora of 3-pointers in hopes to become a more accurate shooter from distance — an asset that will only help his team find a source of perimeter scoring.
“His shot is sound. I just don’t think it’s his first option,” said his trainer Rob Blackwell, according to Scott Agness of The Athletic. “So what we did was try to make him focus on the shot being his first option. His first option has been to put the ball on the floor and take his guy. That’s always his first option. He passes up so many wide-open shots as we went through video.
“We felt like he’s going to get a lot of spot-up opportunities playing with LeBron and playing with those guys who stretch the floor and rely on him to be able to catch-and-shoot and knock down shots, as well as be a tough defender.”
With only weeks left before the start of training camp, Stephenson thinks he'll be an easy fit with Luke Walton's fast-paced style of play and one of the best playmakers in the game in James.
“They play my type of basketball, run and gun,” said Stephenson. “And then we got LeBron. You got a guy like that on your team and the game will come easy. So, I just have to play my role — hit open jump shots, attack the rim, hit free throws, play great defense — and I think I’ll be all right.”
Depending on how he starts the season, Stephenson could become a key cog in the Lakers' rotation or spend major time on the bench behind the likes of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Josh Hart.
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