Indiana Pacers' President Kevin Pritchard let his feelings be known, while acknowledging management very much made a pitch to Lance Stephenson this offseason. Ultimately Lance chose to sign with LeBron's new project in Los Angeles, but not without considering his options more close to home.
When Stephenson's contract was voided, former teammate Paul George immediately voiced his disapproval believing it to be a case of character assassination from the Pacers' executive order. Say of Lance what they will, the Pacers and President Kevin Pritchard were responsible for declining his $4.3 million team option for next year, a decision many felt was unjustified, Paul George included.
According to Gregg Doyel, a sports columnist for the IndyStar, Kevin Pritchard did try in vain to "bring him back." He summed up the convoluted nature of their decision(s) by characterizing Lance as "sometimes he was the best player on our team and sometimes he was the best player on the other team," ending his message to Lance positively with regards to his future prospects in Los Angeles.