2018 NBA free agency grades: Pacers land Tyreke Evans

The Indiana Pacers have made many moves regarding their wing position, with the latest being an agreement to sign guard Tyreke Evans.

The Indiana Pacers have agreed to sign Tyreke Evans to a one-year, $12 million contract, per Yahoo! Sports‘ Shams Charania.

The Pacers are coming off a season in which they finished with a 48-34 record and forced a seven-game series with the eventual Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the playoffs.

Evans, on the other hand, was on a Memphis Grizzlies squad that went 22-60. The 2010 NBA Rookie of the Year has failed to live up to the high standards he set in his first year.

The 28-year-old has struggled to stay consistently healthy. He’s dealt with a bevy of injuries, including problems with his foot, ankle, shoulders, hip and other areas.

He had a bounce-back season after struggling with a right knee injury last season. In 52 games, Evans averaged 19.4 points, 5.2 assists, 5.1 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game. He still missed time, however, sitting out with a rib injury .

His efficiency rose with a 45.2 field goal percentage and 39.9 percentage from 3-point range. His true shooting percentage was a career-high 56.1 percent. The Pacers ranked 26th in the league in 3-point attempts, and Evans averaged a career-high 5.5 attempts per game.

His fit

Evans plays positions 1-3. He might even be an upgrade over Pacers starting point guard Darren Collison or Cory Joseph. There’s also a chance he comes off the bench, backing up the 2017-18 Most Improved Player of the Year, Victor Oladipo.

Leading the second unit might be best for Evans, as he needs the ball to create for himself and others.

The Pacers agreed to a deal with small forward Doug McDermott worth three years and $22 million. Indiana shooting guards Lance Stephenson and Glenn Robinson III have signed with the Los Angeles Lakers and Detroit Pistons, respectively. All of these moves indicate that Evans will stick at either of the guard positions.

According to The New York Times‘ Marc Stein, 24 of the first 45 contracts signed since the start of free agency have been one-year deals. Since Evans is once again signing a contract that is below market value for a player of his caliber, he can re-sign long-term if he’s comfortable in Indiana.

If things don’t work out, he can move on through free agency to a team of his choosing — a much better alternative than a trade that lands him in a worse situation for multiple seasons.

The Pacers are getting the secondary playmaker they’ve needed. If he doesn’t jell alongside Oladipo on the court, they won’t be tied to him for the long haul.

Although he’s a injury concern, Evans is a player that helps the Pacers take the next step. He’s shown he can adapt to modern NBA and carry the offensive load for a team. If he can stay healthy, he might be an All-Star in the Eastern Conference.

Next: 2018 NBA free agency tracker: Grades for every deal so far

Grade: A+