This series examines the Sacramento Kings players’ most recent season giving them a performance grade. Today we will take a look at Tyreke Evans.
Tyreke Evans started his career with the Sacramento Kings after being selected fourth overall in the 2009 NBA Draft. He went on to be Rookie of the Year and looked primed for superstardom. Evans production slipped the following season, and after four years in a Kings uniform, he bolted for big money and new digs to the New Orleans Pelicans.
Evans began this season on the Pelicans but returned to his first NBA home in the trade centered around DeMarcus Cousins.
Tyreke Evans 2015-2016 season ended with a knee injury that caused him to play only 25 games. That knee injury lingered into this season and affected his minutes and production all season long. The Kings refused to play Evans on both ends of back-to-backs because of the knee. The injury, also, limited Evans minutes and it will be interesting to see if he is affected by it going forward. I took into account the limited minutes and attempted to just give Evans credit for his time on the court, not the time he spent on the pine.
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Let us take a closer look at his time with the Kings and give him a grade for his on-court performance this season in Sacramento.
IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: For this series, the players on the Kings will be graded on a curve, meaning that the grades handed out to each player reflect more about their ranking on the team rather than their actual performance grade.
OFFENSE: Grade- B-
The offensive statistics that Tyreke Evans produced in Sacramento were not gaudy. Evans averaged 11.6 points, 1.5 three-pointers, 2.4 assists, and 1.6 turnovers per game. He earned those numbers averaging just 22.4 minutes a night. His field goal and free throw percentages were not outstanding, but he shot 43.8% from three-point range with the Kings. That number is an outlier for his career, but it does appear that Evans has improved his three-point stroke in recent seasons.
Tyreke Evans is a fun player to watch because of his multifaceted skill set. He is a good and willing passer with the ability blow past a defender at will or nail a jumper from almost anywhere on the court. Below is a highlight video from a March 8 game against the San Antonio Spurs to give you a glimpse at some of the things Evans can do with the ball in his hands.
The Kings were very conservative with Evans once he came onboard. I am not sure what percentage of that was injury related and what had to do with Evans probably not being a part of the Kings next season. It stifled Evans on-court abilities, but I was impressed with his game during his time on the court.
DEFENSE: Grade- B
The limited minutes did not allow for eye-popping statistical output, but Evans played a solid brand of defense on a young Kings’ squad that struggled on that end of the floor. He averaged 3.6 rebounds, 0.9 steals, 0.4 blocks, and 1.4 person fouls per game during his 14 games in a Kings uniform.
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I always feel that advanced metrics better encapsulate defensive performance than traditional statistics, so let us move forward and take a look at how Mister Evans rates. According to Basketball-Reference, Evans earned positive 0.3 defensive win shares with the Kings. He, also, earned a positive 0.9 on the season split between the two clubs. Tyreke Evans is a net positive on the defensive end of the floor and can guard one through three giving him some added versatility value.
Overall 2016-2017: Grade- B
I think Tyreke Evans earned a B for time with the Sacramento Kings. When he first came over, Evans was in rhythm and played impressively well in those first seven games. In those games, he averaged 15.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.7 blocks. As the resting grew more and more frequently, it was difficult for Evans to find his game and it clearly affected his numbers.
I think Evans versatility, playmaking ability, and defense are an asset to any NBA squad. The Sacramento Kings were no different this season. He earns a B despite his limited minutes and games with the Sacramento Kings this season.
Final Thoughts
Tyreke Evans played well for the Sacramento Kings after coming over in a midseason trade. Evans second stint with the organization could short-lived, though. His contract expired after the season, and it is hard to imagine the Kings bring back a veteran coming off two straight seasons hampered by knee injuries to play on a rebuilding squad. That goes without saying that Evans will command a hefty salary and at age 28 will probably want to play on a contending team.
Evans still has question marks surrounding him as well. Is he completely over that knee injury? When can he begin playing 30 minutes a night and not have to rest one game of back-to-back sets?
Tyreke Evans’ free agency case is one of great interest to me this offseason. We know the salaries that players command these days, but will someone be willing to spend big on the talented, but risky Evans? We will soon find out, and I cannot wait to see how it plays out this offseason.
Next: Sacramento Kings Report Card: Arron Afflalo
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