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Indiana Pacers: Complete 2018 offseason grades

By Bobby Friedman

Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images
Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images /
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Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images
Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images /

Signing Tyreke Evans

Back in 2010, a young Tyreke Evans took the league by storm as he became just one of four rookies to ever average 20 points, five rebounds and five dimes in a season. That put him in company with Michael Jordan, Oscar Robertson and LeBron James. Not too shabby.

And yet, he never quite took off in the league the way he did that year, until last year’s bounce-back season with the Memphis Grizzlies, averaging 19.4 points, 5.2 assists and 5.1 rebounds a night.

Still, Evans was available because of the Memphis Grizzlies’ strange (and arguably mismanaged) season, as well as a history of injuries. However, due to his proof that he can still ball out, boasting elite versatility (including a scoring knack, ball-handling, defense and rebounding), the Pacers snagged him for a cool one-year, $12.3 million contract.

Aside from adding a mean, gritty defensive presence to an already strong defensive squad, Evans brings a veteran leadership to the Pacers’ maturity movement. He isn’t just a replacement for Lance Stephenson, he is a steep upgrade.

Grade: A

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