5. Tyreke Evans, Indiana Pacers
Coming off a career season with the Memphis Grizzlies, Tyreke Evans has a real chance of keeping that momentum going with a surprising upstart in the Eastern Conference. He missed 30 games last year, but a few of those were due to the Grizzlies trying to trade him. If he can stay healthy, he’ll be an high impact player with the second unit of a very good Indiana Pacers squad.
Last year, Evans had his best season since that eye-opening rookie year, averaging 19.4 points, 5.2 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game while shooting 45.2 percent from the floor and 39.9 percent from 3-point range. He’s unlikely to post those numbers again in a bench role behind Victor Oladipo, but his ability to play multiple positions could earn him extra minutes.
Evans’ fit on this Pacers team screams, “It doesn’t matter who starts, it matters who finishes.” He can realistically play 1-3 on any given night, and if his defense, scoring, 3-point shooting and playmaking all hold up in a new environment with heightened expectations, Sixth Man of the Year is a realistic goal.