Minnesota Timberwolves: 10 players you forgot played for the Wolves in the 2010s
By Ben Beecken
10 players you forgot played for the Minnesota Timberwolves: Lance Stephenson
Guard. Minnesota Timberwolves. Lance Stephenson. 2. player. 86.
- Played in six games with the Wolves in 2016-17
- Averaged 3.5 points and 1.7 rebounds per game
We’ve arrived at another Thibodeau-era, in-season signing whose employment was directly impacted by injury during the season he played for the Wolves.
Lance Stephenson is, of course, best known for blowing in LeBron James’ year during the Pacers-Heat playoff series in 2014. He was a legitimately good player and borderline All-Star that season, but his career started a downhill trajectory the following season when he became a free agency bust for Charlotte.
After the Hornets unloaded Stephenson on the Clippers the following offseason, he was traded to Memphis only months later. Then, he was waived and signed by New Orleans. In part due to injury, he was waived by the Pelicans. After he recovered, the Wolves signed him to a 10-day contract in early February of 2017.
Stephenson suffered a significant ankle sprain shortly after signing with the Wolves, and Minnesota opted to not re-sign him as he recovered. Then, in early March, Thibodeau signed him to another 10-day deal, but he reinjured his ankle again and the Wolves let him walk.
In Minnesota, Stephenson continued his reckless and largely inefficient play but still added a dynamic to the Wolves bench that they’ve often lacked throughout franchise history. After leaving, he finished the year back in Indiana and spent the 2017-18 season there, too, before joining LeBron James with the Lakers in 2018-19.
In 2019-20, Stephson signed to play in China and was playing there when the season was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.