Michael Jordan believes Lance Stephenson could be the missing piece for the Charlotte Hornets to take the next step as a championship contender.

"One of the reasons why I admire his game is he takes on challenges," Jordan said Tuesday. "For us to get any place in the East, we need someone to challenge LeBron. He challenged LeBron."

Stephenson has vowed "to calm down and be more focused."

Jordan will give Stephenson some freedom to be himself.

"If I feel like he's going the wrong way, that is when I will step in, like most parents do, and say, 'Look you need to focus on this and think about that,'" Jordan said.