The signing of Tyreke Evans in the summer of 2013 never made much sense for the Pelicans. At the time of the deal, New Orleans already housed Eric Gordon and had just recently traded for Jrue Holiday.
A former Rookie of the Year with the Sacramento Kings, Evans had proven best with the ball in his hands and the freedom to run the offense as he saw fit. Standing 6-6, he had a height advantage over nearly every point guard, and with the ability to stop on a dime combined with both speed and quickness, he was a terror coming off screens capable of maneuvering through defenses and exploding to the bucket.
He’d average a respectable 14.8 points in less than 30 minutes per game in a little over three seasons, but it was clear the makeup of the roster was hampering the skills that made Evans great. He was shooting more threes than ever and was stationed at both the two and three positions a whopping 98 percent of the time.
The Pelicans had him function as the sixth man in his first season and a starter in more than two seasons afterward, but no matter the role, his lack of a consistent outside jumper made it tough to trot him out there next to either Holiday or Gordon without ceding complete control of the offense to him.
Evans wasn’t the bust so many free agent signings wind being, but given the particular set of skills he brings to the table as a dynamic floor general capable of making plays for both himself and others, he maybe should’ve looked elsewhere in the summer of 2013 when it came down to choosing a new team.