Boston Celtics rumors: Why team should target Tyreke Evans

With Memphis Grizzlies veteran wing Tyreke Evans reportedly on the trade market, should the Boston Celtics make a move to acquire him?

The Boston Celtics could use another reliable scorer and one could be available in veteran shooting guard Tyreke Evans.

The name may not make fans jump out of their seats, but he could provide the team with a reliable secondary scorer they have been missing since Gordon Hayward went down with a broken leg just minutes into the NBA season.

With an $8.4 million disabled player exception granted to the team from Hayward’s injury, along with increased rumors that Memphis is shopping Evans in exchange for a first-round pick, a deal is there to be made by Danny Ainge.

Why Tyreke Evans?

Of course, there will always be a variable of factors surrounding any player the team targets to join their current roster, but acquiring Evans would be low risk. Not only can he create his own shot, he has the size to play multiple positions and will add some depth at the wing position.

Furthermore, the 6-foot-6 shooting guard is currently on the final year of his contract and would only take less than half of that $8.4 million. That would leave the team with room to make another roster move if they so desired.

For now, the clock is clicking for the team to use the exception. They have until March 10 to use it and according to Chris Mannix of Yahoo! Sports, they plan on using I and likely by Feb. 8 trade deadline if possible. At 33-10, they are in no rush, so the team can be patient to make sure they use it wisely.

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"“Based on my conversations with people in the front office, if they have to, they’re going to like find the best Boston rec league player and throw the $8 million exception at him to get somebody to take that money at the end of it,” Mannix said back in December. “They’re going to get somebody with that exception.”"

The Celtics could also wait for a player like Evans to be bought out of his contract. That scenario seems more like something Danny Ainge would do rather than give up a first-round pick for him. Although Boston has the assets, including a future Memphis first-round pick, that could be a high price for a player who would more than likely be a half season rental.

On the other hand, Ainge could give up the Celtics own first-round pick (slotted to be in the late 20s) since they may potentially have a top 5 pick by way of the Los Angeles Lakers pick. For a player averaging 19.7 points a game, that may not be such a risky cost.

As the Boston Celtics witnessed first-hand, Tyreke Evans does have a nice offensive game. Not only would he serve as another scoring option, he would add some punch off a Celtics bench that has struggled at times.

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Would he put the Celtics over the top?

Probably not, but he would certainly make them a stronger team on the offensive end. If he adds anything defensively, he could at least help them go a little further than expected. That wouldn’t necessarily put them in the NBA Finals, but would have them at least challenging for it.

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