Indiana Pacers fans will be seeing a lot more air guitar strumming this season after the team announced this morning that they are re-signing Lance Stephenson to a second and final standard 10-day contract with the team.
Stephenson’s initial 10-day, which he signed on January 11, expired this morning, prompting the organization to use Stephenson’s final 10-day before being faced with the decision of signing him for the remainder of the season or letting him walk.
Like numerous other former NBA veterans looking to get back into the League, Stephenson has signed multiple 10-days – becoming the first player to sign a fourth 10 day- first signing with the Atlanta Hawks. After appearing in six games for the Hawks, Born Ready then signed his first of three 10-days with the Pacers on the first of the new year.
Typically, a player is restricted in signing more than two 10-day contracts with a single team. However, due to the COVID-19-related hardship exemption, that restriction only applies to standard-10-day agreements. Stephenson is now on his second such deal.
In 11 games played for the team that originally drafted him back in 2010, Stephenson averages 9.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game while shooting 46.2 percent from the field in 19.5 minutes a game.
Beat the game clock, bust out the air guitar 🎸
— NBA (@NBA) January 15, 2022
Lance Stephenson drains the triple on NBA League Pass: https://t.co/L8Rrlv9ZoR pic.twitter.com/Ib1kCKv8VR
It didn’t take long for the Brooklyn-native to fall back into his groove while rocking the yellow and navy blue; in his third game back in Indiana, Stephenson dropped 30 points, five dimes, and a few air guitars in the Pacers’ 129-121 loss to the Brooklyn Nets. In the Pacers’ next game, Stephenson was back to firing from all cylinders against the Utah Jazz, scoring 16 points while dishing out 14 assists in the Pacers’ win three days later.
Through Stephenson’s fourth 10-day, the organization has provided more flexibility as his contract will expire a week before the February 10 trade deadline.
