After reuniting with the Sacramento Kings last season, should Tyreke Evans be re-signed in free agency?
Tyreke Evans was drafted by the Sacramento Kings with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft and was viewed as a potential superstar. Many thought that he would resurrect a once proud franchise and help them get back to being championship contenders in the Western Conference. Unfortunately, after four very good seasons in Sacramento, Evans left town and headed to New Orleans.
Last season, the Kings acquired Evans in the blockbuster trade that sent DeMarcus Cousins to the New Orleans Pelicans. Buddy Hield was the primary piece that Sacramento acquired, but the fans were excited to see Evans come back home where his NBA career began.
Now comes the question, should the Kings re-sign Evans and keep him in Sacramento long-term?
After being traded to the Kings last season, Evans ended up playing in 14 regular season games and starting in six of them. He averaged 11.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game, while shooting 41.3 percent from the floor. Those numbers aren’t amazing, but the veteran presence that he brought for the young talent was valuable.
Evans is currently 27 years old and would fit in as a mentor for many of the young players. There is a good chance that he would be interested in re-signing with the Kings for the right price.
Looking at the current depth chart, the Kings could use a shooting guard with the skill set that Evans possesses coming off the bench. Buddy Hield will slide into the starting shooting guard role next season and there is a good chance that the Kings will use one of their top-10 draft picks on a point guard. Having Evans come off the bench in a combo-guard role would be a great fit.
That being said, the Kings aren’t going to be the only team with interest in signing Evans this offseason. He has a unique skill set that quite a few teams will be interested in acquiring. Due to the amount of interest he is likely to receive, the price tag might be too high for Sacramento.
Sacramento is in the middle of another rebuilding phase after trading Cousins last season. There is a good chance that the Kings would rather focus on playing their young players rather than a 27-year-old veteran. Vlade Divac has gone after veteran free agents over the past couple years, but without Cousins in town there isn’t a major need to do so this offseason.
It will be intriguing to see what the Kings do this summer. There have not been any reports about how they plan to handle this rebuilding process or if they would rather continue trying to compete while rebuilding the roster.
Despite the fact that Evans is a fan favorite and fit well with the team last season, the Kings should focus on their young talent. Saving the money that it would take to sign Evans long-term is the likely route that the Kings will take. If he is willing to come back at a reasonable price, there is a chance he will be brought back, but don’t hold your breath.
Expect to see Evans head elsewhere in free agency this offseason when everything is said and done.
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