Almost nobody wanted Tyreke Evans before the season started, with the former NBA Rookie of the Year resigned to having to accept a one-year, $3.3 million deal from Memphis.
Now, teams are lining up to get Evans before the Feb. 8 trade deadline. The Celtics, Sixers, Thunder and Cavs are among the teams that reportedly have interest in what has been one of the best bargains in the NBA.
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You can see why Danny Ainge would want the nine-year veteran: Some nights, Kyrie Irving is the Celtics’ only dependable scorer. That won’t cut it when the Celtics begin what they hope is a long playoff run this spring.
The Sixers are hopeful of nailing down their first postseason spot since undertaking "The Process." Lottery-bound since 2012, Evans, enjoying his best scoring season (19.4 points per game) since his rookie campaign with the Kings, might help them clinch a top-eight finish in the East. J.J. Redick is still working his way back from an injury to his left leg, and the Sixers know all too well that Markelle Fultz is not going to be able to contribute in his rookie season.
Then again, Evans is seen as the perfect fit in Oklahoma City. The Thunder’s bench is, to put it nicely, just this side of feeble, with only Raymond Felton presenting a threat to score. So Evans, who was compared to Dwyane Wade by former Heat assistant and Grizzlies head coach Dave Fizdale, would be a boost for Russell Westbrook and the Thunder’s "Big Three."
The Cavs? The 6-6 Evans would give them much-needed size in the backcourt to go along with his improved 3-point shooting.
Evans has only four playoff games on his resume, all of which came when he was a member of the Pelicans in 2015. But he’s being viewed — along with the Clippers’ Lou Williams, a veteran of 52 playoff games — as one of the top available scorers who will be joining a new team in the coming days.
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The Grizzlies don’t expect to get much more than a first-round pick for Evans. But with Mike Conley out for the season with a heel injury and the Grizzlies refusing to discuss Marc Gasol in potential deals, at least Evans will get them the kind of asset they need going forward.
And what a break this would be for Evans, one of only four NBA rookies in history (with Michael Jordan, LeBron James and Oscar Robertson) to average at least 20 points, five assists and five rebounds per game. It was only seven months ago when it didn’t look like anyone wanted him. Now, he can look forward to leaving a losing situation and hooking up with a playoff team.
Latest NBA rumors ahead of trade deadline
— Going into the week, Pistons president of basketball operations and head coach Stan Van Gundy and Pelicans general manager Dell Demps were described in the same way: Desperate.
With DeMarcus Cousins' Achilles injury sidelining him for the season, Demps had to make a move to keep the Pelicans in the playoff chase — and maybe to help keep his own job. On the final year of his deal, it was virtually impossible to replace Cousins’ 25.2 points and 12.9 rebounds a night.
Demps shopped the Pels’ first-round pick and the onerous Omir Asik contract, with $14 million in guaranteed money to go over the next two years. The Pels talked to the Lakers and Hawks in a potential three-way deal, but then thought they had a deal with the Bulls for Nikola Mirotic, who would help pick up some of the scoring slack.
Mirotic wants his $12.5 million team option for next season picked up — he can veto the deal if it isn’t. The Pels don’t want to guarantee the $12.5 million because of luxury tax concerns. They’re also looking at bringing back Cousins, although it might be for less than the roughly $175 million he can get due to the nature of his injury, and the fact that it might adversely impact his career going forward.
So we’ll see what happens with Mirotic, who likes the idea of playing again with Rajon Rondo, the former Bull, but doesn’t like the idea of losing his Bird rights. Who does? That would happen if his $12.5 million option is not picked up, and it would cost him future money. So we’ll see if the Pels think he’s worth it.
MORE: Latest news on potential Mirotic trade
— If not, the Pels have also been linked to the Hawks' Kent Bazemore and the Lakers’ Jordan Clarkson. Hornets forward Nic Batum is too rich for their blood with his mega contract (three years to run at around $77 million). Speaking of the Hornets, they are not shopping Kemba Walker, but definitely are listening to offers, as owner Michael Jordan has stated.
Meanwhile, two personnel men who looked at the potential Mirotic deal to New Orleans had the same thought: If it goes through, the Bulls won’t be getting enough for Mirotic, who had drawn the interest of Detroit, Utah, Portland and New York in recent weeks. He’s not Cousins, who made the All-Star team with some monster offensive games. But his long-distance shooting (42.9 percent from 3-point range this season) will be greatly appreciated by Anthony Davis.
"Dell needs to do something and he knows it," one Eastern Conference GM told Sporting News. "The Pelicans could be getting a new GM. So he’s as desperate to make a deal as Stan was."
MORE: After Cousins injury, three big questions for Pelicans
— With Van Gundy, rumors have swirled that Detroit owner Tom Gores would pull the plug on his top basketball man if he didn’t get the Pistons, playing in their brand new Little Caesars Arena, to the playoffs this spring.
The talk of a new regime in Detroit only intensified when, after a 14-6 start, including an impressive win at Golden State, the Pistons lost 20 of their next 28 to fall out of the top eight in the East. The Pistons were not only losing, but also didn’t have the requisite star to draw fans, as they were playing to 83 percent capacity in their new downtown home and averaging only around 17,400 fans per game, 19th in the NBA.
Even Van Gundy’s signature addition — importing Avery Bradley from Boston when the Celtics traded for Marcus Morris to open the necessary cap space for Gordon Hayward — was no longer paying dividends. The Pistons had lost 17 of their last 20 games when Bradley had played. Earlier, Van Gundy credited for Bradley for bringing a "great work ethic," a much-needed "serious approach" to a team in need of some professionalism in the locker room and a "consistent defensive disposition."
But once the Pistons were sinking and it became apparent that Bradley, in the final season of his contract, wasn’t going to be part of their future, Van Gundy rolled the dice on Blake Griffin with Monday’s blockbuster trade. Now, the team has a major drawing card to attract fans — and to help them get to the playoffs.
If Griffin can stay healthy — always the No. 1 disclaimer for the five-time All-Star — and Detroit can work its way back into playoff contention, this move could stave off a regime change.
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— Van Gundy’s desperation turned out to be the Clippers’ saving grace. They didn’t know if they could find a taker for Griffin’s massive contract, with four years and $141 million to go, after owner Steve Ballmer decided he couldn’t go forward with Griffin. He reportedly reached that conclusion after Griffin’s December was a total washout due to his latest knee injury. So just six months after selling Griffin on being a Clipper for life, they were scrambling to find a trade partner.
The Clippers are expected to move DeAndre Jordan (maybe to Cleveland) and Williams (perhaps to Boston, Toronto or another playoff team looking for instant offense off the bench) in hopes of clearing their salary books for the summer of 2019 and restocking their roster with stars. In two summers, it’s possible that Kawhi Leonard, Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, Kevin Love and Kemba Walker will hit the open market.
By then, the Clips could be as much as $40 million under the cap, with only Danilo Gallinari’s $22.6 million still on their ledgers. Griffin’s departure could also help the team this summer when Ballmer, with trusted advisor Jerry West at his side, plans to make a run at LeBron James and Paul George.
Listen to Mitch Lawrence on SiriusXM NBA Radio on The Starting Lineup, Above The Rim, NBA Today and NBA Weekend. Follow him on Twitter: @Mitch_Lawrence.
