NBA Rumors: Minnesota Timberwolves Interested In Lance Stephenson

NBA players sometimes fall pretty hard. According to FanSided, the Minnesota Timberwolves are interested in signing Lance Stephenson. The 6-foot-5 shooting guard did not think that he would still be without a home in the National Basketball Association this late into the free agency period. Stephenson might also be forced to accept the minimum salary.

Back in 2013, Lance Stephenson was one of the better players in the NBA. He led the NBA in triple-doubles. For that reason, Stephenson believed that he was going to receive a massive contract in free agency, so he rejected a $44 million contract from the Indiana Pacers.

Instead of a five-year contract worth approximately $44 million from the Indiana Pacers, Lance Stephenson ended up settling for a three-year contract worth approximately $27 million from the Charlotte Hornets. Many in the NBA were critical of Stephenson for that move, especially since he only lasted a single season with the Hornets.

NBA Rumors: Timberwolves have interest in Lance Stephenson (by @TomWestNBA) https://t.co/z5Bcu7eylc pic.twitter.com/JpTJyU81oR

— FanSided (@FanSided) July 29, 2016

After a disappointing stint with the Charlotte Hornets, Lance Stephenson was able to convince the Los Angeles Clippers to trade for him. Management gave up Matt Barnes and Spencer Hawes to make it happen. The Clippers were hoping that by adding Stephenson to their rotation, it would make them more of a contender for the NBA Championship, but it never came to fruition.

By giving up Jeff Green, the Memphis Grizzlies were able to acquire Lance Stephenson from the Los Angeles Clippers. Thanks to a record number of injuries, Stephenson was able to average 14.2 points a game, which is his career high in the NBA.

After watching so many lower and mid-level players in the NBA receiving gigantic contracts this summer, Lance Stephenson finds himself waiting for phone calls. Even Timofey Mozgov, the seldom used backup center for the Cleveland Cavaliers, managed to receive a four-year contract worth approximately $64 million.

By signing the highly revered Tom Thibodeau as their new president of basketball operations and head coach, the Minnesota Timberwolves are starting a new era. The team was forced to do that because of the death of Flip Saunders, who lost his battle with cancer.

With the Minnesota Timberwolves being one of the youngest teams in the NBA, Tom Thibodeau knows that it would be a wise move if he were to add veterans to his roster. Despite being just 25-years-old, Lance Stephenson is considered a veteran because he has already played six seasons in the National Basketball Association.

If Lance Stephenson were to sign with the Minnesota Timberwolves, he would not only have to accept a role off the bench, but he would also need to embrace it. Stephenson needs to do for the Timberwolves what Manu Ginobili has done for years with the San Antonio Spurs.

Lance Stephenson is most comfortable at the shooting guard position. However, that belongs to Zach Lavine, who has made a name for himself in the NBA as one of the best slam dunk artists around. Lavine is learning to become a more all-around player, so he needs to be on the court.

Andrew Wiggins owns the starting small forward position for the Minnesota Timberwolves for the foreseeable future. There is a reason why he was the first overall pick in the NBA Draft. Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns should become one of the best combinations in the National Basketball Association soon.

To avoid the risk of being unemployed this fall, Lance Stephenson is going to seriously need to consider the cheap offer from the Minnesota Timberwolves. Otherwise, his career in the NBA will be over much sooner than he thought it would.

[Photo by Thearon W Henderson/Getty Images]