5 free agent wings the Pacers should avoid

Tyreke Evans

I don’t want to say Tyreke Evans has been riding on a really strong rookie season for eight years, so I’ll just vaguely imply it.

Included as salary filler in the DeMarcus Cousins trade last season, Evans found himself back in Sacramento, where he spent the first four years of his career. He wasn’t exactly thrilled to be returning and will surely be seeking a new home on July 1. Hopefully, that home isn’t Indianapolis.

Evans has struggled with injuries recently, playing only 65 games over the last two seasons. Like Rudy Gay, he’s made his money as a ball-dominant scorer who doesn’t like to shoot 3s.

He’s tried to stretch behind the arc more in recent years with mild success, but he’s still not someone who will space the floor if you leave him in the corner. 3-point shooting loses a lot of its benefit if it doesn’t come with gravity. Defenses need to respect you out on the arc, otherwise the spacing is just as clogged as it would be if you couldn’t shoot a lick from 3.

The Pacers already have one controversial combo guard on the roster. They don’t need another. Evans is a bad defender, a nothing-special passer and an inefficient overall offensive player, and that’s only when he’s healthy enough to be on the court.