Dallas Mavericks had offer on the table for Lance Stephenson if Parsons declined

If the Mavericks struck out on Chandler Parsons, they had a contingency plan in place. According to a report by ESPN's Chris Broussard, Dallas made an offer to former Pacers guard Lance Stephenson.

The Dallas Mavericks had a two-year, $20 million offer on the table to Stephenson, contingent on the Houston Rockets matching their offer for forward Chandler Parsons. If Houston had matched, Stephenson would have signed with Dallas, sources said.

Stephenson signed with the Charlotte Hornets early Wednesday morning to a three year, $27 million contract with a team option for the third year.

The Pacers initially offered Stephenson a five year, $44 million contract.

Here at Moneyball, we have been adamant about the Mavericks attempting to acquire Stephenson this summer. He led the league in triple doubles with five last season and posted averages of 13.8 points on 49.1 percent shooting, 7.2 rebounds and 4.6 assists.

At the beginning of the summer, multiple reports surfaced stating that the Mavericks did not have much interest in Stephenson. The 23-year-old guard has a history of problems both on and off the court. Recently, he was widely criticized for his antics in the Eastern Conference Finals, most notably for blowing in LeBron James' ear. Hilarious memes ensued.

However, it is rare for a player of Stephenson's skill and age to hit the open market as an unrestricted free agent. At least the Mavericks made him an offer, even if it was just as a safety net.