Chicago Bulls: 5 options for pick No. 16 in 2017 NBA Draft

No. 5: Jawun Evans

As it was mentioned a bit ago, one area the Bulls will need to address is the backup point guard slot. Yes, I realize they have a quartet of other guards at the position besides Rondo — Jerian Grant, Michael Carter-Williams, Cameron Payne and Isaiah Canaan — but none of them played well enough on a consistent basis.

Because of that fact, Fred Hoiberg was never able to establish a consistent rotation at this position during the season. To help address this glaring need, one player in the draft that warrants consideration is Oklahoma State point guard Jawun Evans.

Let’s get the negative narrative out of the way first. Standing at exactly six feet tall, Evans could be considered somewhat undersized. Along with that, while Evans has the speed to get into the paint at will, his lack of size prevents him from being an effective finisher, as his 45.2 shooting percentage from two-point range was the fourth-worst conversion rate among Draft Express’ top-100 prospects.

On the flip side, Evans is a capable scorer and facilitator as well. During his sophomore season at OSU, he posted averages of 19.2 points, 6.4 assists and 1.8 steals per contest.  Those numbers increase to 25.9 points, 8.7 assists and 2.4 steals per game when adjusted to a per-40 minute scale.

Along with that, Evans is a decent three-point shooter, as his 38 percent from distance would indicate.

In order for Evans to succeed at the next level, though, he will need to improve his decision-making once he gets into the painted area, which should help cut down on some of his turnovers (2.8 per contest).

With the ability to get by his primary defenders, Evans’ speed will help create open looks for perimeter shooters. That, along with the fact that he can create his own shot, makes him a good fit for a Bulls team lacking a true backup point guard.