Charlotte Hornets Ponying Up Lance Stephenson To Indiana Pacers, Brooklyn Nets

Just a day before teams can include in trades free agents they signed during the summer, the Charlotte Hornets are already sending out feelers to teams that might be interested in the services of disappointing starting shooting guard Lace Stephenson. The mercurial guard has been the subject of trade talk in NBA circles following the dismal 6-17 start to the season, mainly due to his inability to mesh with fellow starters Kemba Walker and Al Jefferson.

Two of the possible destinations reported by Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports are fellow Eastern Conference trying hard to find their footing early on in the 2014-2015 season -- the Indiana Pacers and the Brooklyn Nets. There seems to be a level of interest to acquire the services of former first round pick along with his seemingly friendly contract of three years approximately worth $27 million (there is a team option for the last year of the deal). A change is looming on the Hornets front and it appears he is the odd man out after dwindling minutes and lesser role during crunch time.

"Charlotte coach Steve Clifford has largely stopped using Stephenson in the fourth quarter and key stretches of games. The gulf between Stephenson and his Charlotte teammates has been growing, league sources told Yahoo Sports," Wojnarowski said in his report.

After brief contact w/ Hornets, Nets and Clippers researching Stephenson's time in Charlotte, but yet to show serious interest, sources say.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) December 14, 2014

Due to this, the team has already reached out to the Pacers and the Nets. The Pacers are a logical destination given that Stephenson was drafted by the team and just recently played there before turning down a contract extension that was lesser in amount but longer in tenure. Pacers President Larry Bird reportedly is still a little bit enamoured by the play of their former ward and the season-long injury to Paul George puts the team a little bit thinner on the bench and in dribble drive penetration, Stephenson's forte.

The Brooklyn Nets are also looking to make a move due in part to their admittance that the core of Joe Johnson, Brook Lopez, and Deron Williams cannot possibly bring the championship to Russian owner Mikhail Prokhorov. The Nets are exploring options to move any of their marquee players for lesser salary and recognizable talent. The Hornets would likely look to take back Johnson given that their current roster lacks the three-point threat that can spread the space for Jefferson's post-ups and Walker's penetrations.