Keep Alonzo Gee: $1,500,000.
Keep Lance Stephenson: $2,380,431.
The Pelicans opted for the more expensive – and more intriguing – option with their final roster spot.
This drops New Orleans’ roster to the regular-season limit of 15 players, including Stephenson.
Teams rarely give someone a guaranteed, above-minimum salary and then waive him the same offseason. But that’s what the Pelicans did with Gee. At least he’ll take home $1.4 million, more than his $1,379,400 player option would’ve paid had he opted in last summer.
Stephenson – with just $100,000 of his minimum salary guaranteed – adds much-needed playmaking with Jrue Holiday and Tyreke Evans both out. Though he has struggled since leaving the Pacers, Stephenson is still talented and relatively young. Maybe he re-finds his groove in New Orleans. It’ll at least be interesting to watch him try.
