Potential free agent replacements for Dion Waiters

Tyreke Evans, Sacramento Kings

On pure talent, Evans would rank close to top of the list of players to replace Waiters. Unfortunately for Evans, his body has betrayed him on multiple occasions throughout his career. This has been particularly the case the last two seasons, where due to three surgeries on his right knee, Evans has been restricted to a total of 65 games.

As a result of these surgeries, Evans was placed on a minutes restriction when he was available to return to the court this season. On top of all this, Evans was involved in the midseason deal that sent DeMarcus Cousins to the New Orleans Pelicans.

Over 40 games this season, Evans averaged 10.3 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists in just 19.7 minutes per game. These are significantly down from his career numbers of 16.1 points, 5.1 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game. But upon return to his original home, the Sacramento Kings, Evans displayed some promising signs.

Evans played 14 games for the Kings following the trade, averaging 11.6 points and 3.6 rebounds in 22.5 minutes per game. Although these are fairly modest numbers, it was Evans’ three-point shooting that was a notable improvement. A career 29.5 percent shooter from three-point range, Evans connected at a 43.8 percent clip on 3.4 attempts per game.

His best performance as a returning member of the Kings was during a road loss to the San Antonio Spurs. Playing 29 minutes ( a season high), Evans scored 26 points, which included 9-of-13 from the field and 3-of-4 from behind three.

Although it’s just one game, Evans demonstrated here that he still has plenty left in the tank. He was able to get past his man and finish at the rim, as well as demonstrating a noticeably improved outside touch. As Evans said in the midst of this season upon his return to Sacramento:

"“I’m getting older, and I realize that. I am actually feeling pretty good right now and I want to see how this goes. While I was in New Orleans, I worked on my jump shot a lot with Freddy (Vinson). It’s much better than it was. Making jump shots helps a lot, too.”"

Evans is similar to Waiters in that they are both capable of impacting the game playing on or off the ball. With a career average of 5.1 assists per game, Evans would provide an excellent compliment to Dragic in order to take some of the load offensively.

Naturally, signing any player with an injury history such as Evans’ is going to have a degree off risk attached. Having said that, the strength and conditioning staff of the Heat this past season demonstrated again why they are at the cutting edge of the league. First of all, their head strength and conditioning coach, Bill Foran, won the NSCA award for Professional Strength and Conditioning Coach of the year, the fourth time he has won the award.

Further, the physical transformation of reclamation projects such as James Johnson, Wayne Ellington and Waiters demonstrates the significant value the Heat place on physical conditioning.

Placing an immensely talented, albeit injury-riddled, player such as Evans in the hands of the Heat’s staff could be well worth the gamble.