The easy-to-find statistics point to one view: that Stevenson was one of the worst players in the NBA. He rarely went inside the 3-point line -- 145 of his 170 shot attempts this season came from behind the arc -- and he made 28 percent of his shots from 3-point range. According to mysynergysports.com, Stevenson ranked 390th out of the roughly 450 NBA players at the offensive end of the floor in terms of points per possession, and his Performance Efficiency Rating was 4.33, the second-worst mark in the NBA among qualified players, with only Charlotte's Cory Higgins finishing below him.

But if you take a deeper look at Stevenson's season, and pay particular attention to his work at the defensive end of the floor, an entirely different picture emerges. Stevenson ranked as the 40th best defender in the league by points per possession, according to mysynergysports.com, including high ranks in isolation defense (19th), defending players coming off of screens (22nd) and ball handlers in the pick-and-roll (27th). Stevenson was the only Nets player who finished inside the top 100 in Synergy's defensive rankings.

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Then there is the matter of the team's record when Stevenson played this season. In games where Stevenson saw the floor, the Nets went 20-31. That might not sound that great, at first, but consider this: in the 15 games that Stevenson sat out this season, the Nets went a combined 2-13.

In other words, in a season where the Nets finished 22 games under .500, half of that deficit came with Stevenson watching from the sidelines.

What does all of that mean? To me, it shows that Stevenson is a player that still has something to contribute to a playoff-caliber team, as he proved in helping the Dallas Mavericks win the NBA title last year. Stevenson still is capable of defending the league's elite offensive wing players, especially when he's playing in a 15-to-20 minute per game role as he did this year.

The question will be whether or not he will be given the chance to play such a role for the Nets. The Nets signed Stevenson this year using the $2.5 million "room" exception after they went over the salary cap. But it seems unlikely that they would go that route again. Given the fact that they have to sign several of their own free agents, including Deron Williams, Gerald Wallace and Gerald Green, in addition to upgrading the talent around the roster, the Nets will need every free dollar they can muster up.

Would Stevenson be willing to play for a one-year deal for the veteran's minimum to stay with the Nets? If so, I could easily see him back if Deron Williams returns and the Nets upgrade the roster to the point where making the playoffs looks like a sure thing for all of the reasons I suggested above. Some fans may be dismayed at that thought, but a deeper look inside the numbers shows the value he can bring to a good team.

DeShawn Stevenson's 2011-12 statistics (all per game averages):

Games: 51

Minutes: 18:48

Points: 2.8

Rebounds: 2.0

Assists: 0.8

Steals: 0.4

Blocks: 0.1

Field Goal Percentage: 28.5

3-Point Field Goal Percentage: 28.3

Free Throw Percentage: 56.3

Performance Efficiency Rating: 4.33

tbontemps@nypost.com