Minnesota Timberwolves G-League affiliate acquires NBA veteran Lance Stephenson

According to a recent press release, the Iowa Wolves acquired NBA veteran and former Minnesota Timberwolves guard Lance Stephenson this week! Stephenson spent ten years in the NBA and could be a potential candidate to fill in the Timberwolves final roster spot at some point season.

Following more than a decade in the NBA, Stephenson most recently played for Leones de Ponce in Puerto Rico, where he posted 20.5 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists in four games. Stephenson hasn’t played in the NBA since 2022 but he’ll have a chance to show off his value in the G-League soon.

In addition to being a staple on the Indiana Pacers for years and appearing in six games for the Timberwolves in 2017, Stephenson spent time with the Charlotte Hornets, Memphis Grizzlies, New Orleans Pelicans, Los Angeles Lakers and Atlanta Hawks throughout his memorable career. 

Stephenson is expected to make his debut for the Wolves in the coming days and should have an opportunity to potentially earn a spot on the Timberwolves roster later on. The Cincinnati Bearcats product was originally drafted by the Pacers in the second round of the 2010 NBA Draft.

Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly is familar with Stephenson after he played for the Denver Nuggets G-League affiliate in 2022. Connelly was a part of the Nuggets front office for nearly a decade, and Stephenson played 12 games with the Grand Rapids Gold last year.

With a chance to stay atop the Western Conference standings, the Timberwolves are hoping to continue to play at a high level and improve on the 17-5 record moving forward. Minnesota will likely try to add a role player before the trade deadline in early February and Stephenson could be an intriguing option. Or, he could very well not even get called up, as that happens all the time. Either way, it's cool to see what was once a very fun player blowing in LeBron's ear, doing his daily antics, back in the league.