Tyreke Evans is giving the Pacers their money’s worth

Tyreke Evans is proving that he’s worth the one-year, $12.1 million deal he signed with the Indiana Pacers this summer as the 29-year-old is producing.

The Indiana Pacers picked up another victory on Friday night, improving their record to 6-3. While the outcome against the struggling Bulls may have been expected, the significance of Tyreke Evans may come as a surprise if you aren’t paying close attention.

Evans is in his 10th NBA season with his fifth squad. The former lottery pick is averaging a career-low 10 points per game.

That combination alone may be enough for naysayers to write him off as a bust, but when you look at what Evans brings to the table for Indiana, he appears to be the perfect fit.

Sure his personal statistics have taken a significant dip this season, but keep in mind that Evans is getting less time on the floor.  After all, this is his first season playing behind All-Star shooting guard Victor Oladipo.

In Memphis, New Orleans and Sacramento, Evans was the primary offensive weapon for sub-par teams. He had the green light to get buckets at will. He averaged 14 shots per game prior to joining the Pacers.

This year he’s shooting the ball an average of nine time per game and still remaining a threat to score whenever he touches the ball. Just ask Chicago. He gave them 13 points on 5-of-11 shooting in 18 minutes on the floor.

In Indiana, Evans is the best of both worlds when it comes to guard play. He’s shown his ability to handle the ball and create for teammates. He had six assists in just 24 minutes of action to start the season against his former team, the Memphis Grizzlies.

A week later he was at it again, dropping five dimes in 23 minutes against the Spurs.

On other nights, Evans is showing that he can make his minimal shot attempts count. His three games of 15 points or more this season have all come with less than 25 minutes of playing time and an average of 12 shots in each of those contests.

Most importantly, Tyreke Evans forces opponents to pick their poison when he’s on the floor. When teamed up with Oladipo, Evans has the ability to make teams pay for double-teaming the All-Star guard.

After signing with the Pacers, Evans told Oladipo, “I’ve got your back this year.”

So far, he’s lived up to his word.

Evans is the type of gutsy player that the Pacers need coming off the bench. His resiliency in battling injuries throughout his career serves as proof. There was the knee surgery in May 2016 that kept him sidelined for nearly 11 months.

There’s the rib cartilage injury that forced him to miss games last season. In all, Evans missed a total of 129 games over the course of three seasons. The fact that he’s able to still play at a high level and accept his new role is impressive.

While the contribution of the veteran has exceeded so far, Pacers fans have to be nervous about his contract. Evans signed a one-year, $12 million deal that expires at the end of this season. Will he be willing to re-up with the franchise at a discounted rate next season?

There’s always the possibility that the 29-year-old guard will want to cash in on a solid season with a lucrative long-term deal.

If he can remain healthy, the Pacers would be smart to make Evans a serious offer. If not, teams like the Lakers and the 76ers could once again be front-runners to make a play for his services.

After all, the Lakers signed Rondo to an experimental one-year deal and the Sixers may be looking elsewhere for a guard to compliment Ben Simmons if Markelle Fultz doesn’t prove himself this year.

Evans made it clear that he wants to be a part of a winning team when he signed with Indiana. If he remains healthy and continues to get comfortable in his new role, Tyreke Evans can serve as a tremendous asset.

It’s up to Indiana if that transformation from primary offensive weapon to significant role player will happen in a Pacers uniform.