Warriors to Meet With and Work Out Tyreke Evans
Stephen Curry was widely considered the runner-up for the Rookie of the Year award when he made his debut in 2009. There was one guard ahead of him who ended up having an excellent season, although a 2-year suspension for violating the NBA/NBPA’s anti-drug usage policies have kept him out the league in recent years: Tyreke Evans.
Evans was drafted by the Kings as the 4th overall pick out of Memphis in 2009, and won the Rookie of the Year award ahead of Curry that same year. He spent four years in Sacramento before he went to New Orleans, although he would return to the Kings in 2017 for a one-year stint. He spent time with the Grizzlies and Pacers before his suspension. He was eligible to apply for reinstatement 2021 before the NBA officially reinstated him last month.
So why are we talking about Tyreke Evans? According to Shams Charania, he’ll be meeting with the Golden State Warriors this week, as well as working out for them:
The Dubs stood pat at the trade deadline and have not been active on the buyout market so far as the public knows. This is the first sign that they may be making an in-season addition, although it isn’t the center that everyone has been clamoring for (despite most people clearly forgetting they already have a center on the way in James Wiseman).
Evans posts career averages of 15 points, 4 boards, and 4 assists per game, shooting 44% from the field, 32% from three, and 75% from the line. Evans’ free throw capabilities indicate he’s a better shooter than his three-ball percentages show, and it makes sense that his career average isn’t incredible, as he’s been known through his career as a slasher. He also made his money during the pre-shooting era of the NBA, and even with a feature role early in his career, he never had to shoot a lot of threes.
His last high-volume role was in Memphis, where he played 30 minutes a night and scored 19 points per game on 45/39/79 splits. He has the capabilities to be a good shooter, although he’s not spectacular, nor does he have to be if he does end up in Golden State.
This meeting is interesting for more reasons than Evans himself, however. Mostly, it’s interesting to think about why they’re working out anyone. It’s no secret that free agent signing Nemanja Bjelica hasn’t been playing well recently, nor has he played much at all aside from the last few games. With Wiseman soon to return, the team may not need his depth at center and might be looking to replace him with another playmaking lead guard they can rely on. They could also cut Damion Lee, who had a solid start to the season but has had a rough stretch recently.
A meeting and work-out doesn’t guarantee a signing, but it’s possible there could be a roster move that would involve Evans coming in and somebody else stepping out. Do the Warriors need another guard? Not necessarily, but veteran experience doesn’t hurt in the locker room at the very least. Evans has been a shaky playoff performer in the past, but at the very least, giving him a chance to show if he’s still got it isn’t a bad move. Worst case, they don’t sign him. Best case, the Warriors revive another Rookie of the Year’s career.
(Photo credit: Chris Schwegler / Getty Images)