NBA Rumors: Lance Stephenson pursuing a return to the NBA

Former Los Angeles Laker Lance Stephenson is believed to be eyeing an NBA return. Stephenson last played for the Liaoning Flying Leopards of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) but the Coronavirus outbreak has derailed the league's season.

Yahoo Sources: Free agent guard Lance Stephenson seeking return to NBA following season in China where he averaged 26.7 points, 7.4 rebounds and shot 52 percent from field. He’s willing to work out to prove his value.

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) February 22, 2020

As per the latest reports, the CBA's proceedings have been paused and all the foreign players have been released from their duties.

Stephenson was the 40th overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft and stayed with the Indiana Pacers till 2014. He signed with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018, and played alongside the likes of LeBron James.

Across the 508 games he has played in the NBA, Stephenson averaged an ordinary 8.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game. However, his stint in China saw him register impressive numbers in points (26.7), field goal percentage (52%) and rebounds (7.4) per game.

Whether the Lakers would be interested in re-incorporating Stephenson into their ranks remains to be seen. He averaged 7.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game during his single season for the purple-and-gold, making a negligible impact overall.