The basketball world has four words to say right now — “Somehow, Lance Stephenson returned.”
Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported on Monday that the former NBA swingman Stephenson is joining the Iowa Wolves, G League affiliate of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Scotto even indicates that Stephenson could be a candidate for an NBA call-up, noting that Minnesota has an open roster spot available.
Stephenson, still just 33, has not been in the NBA since the 2021-22 season and most recently played for Leones de Ponce in Puerto Rico. He has also played in China (for the Liaoning Flying Leopards) and for a different G League team (the Grand Rapids Gold) in recent years.
Though most commonly associated with the Indiana Pacers, Stephenson already spent time on the Timberwolves in the 2016-17 season. He appeared in six games for Minnesota and was a teammate of star center Karl-Anthony Towns. The Timberwolves look quite different these days however and are now an NBA-best 17-4 this season. Maybe they feel Stephenson, a famous irritant with a wide array of antics over the years, is the last missing piece that they need.
