Rival NBA GM on Lance Stephenson: ‘We couldn’t guard him’

The Indiana Pacers lost Lance Stephenson to the Charlotte Hornets in free agency, and you’re not alone if you believe his departure will hurt Indiana.

A rival GM described to TNT’s David Aldridge what losing Stephenson means.

Rival GM on Pacers losing Born Ready to Charlotte: "That is a big blow. We couldn't guard him."

— David Aldridge (@daldridgetnt) July 16, 2014

Stephenson got a 3-year, $27 million deal from the Hornets. The Pacers supposedly offered Stephenson a 5-year, $44 million deal.

Did Stephenson want the shorter-term deal because he believes in himself and thinks he can get more in a few years? It’s a gamble, but it may pay off.

Indiana also is taking a big risk. I think they’re going to drop off without him. He was a big part of their success, and now they won’t have him. I don’t think they should have let him go. They should have been thankful he wanted a shorter rather than longer deal; you can’t rely on him for five years, but two or three seasons is reasonable.