# Tyreke Evans



## Ben (Nov 7, 2006)

Oklahoma had the chance to pick Tyreke. They instead chose James Harden. Harden is a beast too, but would the Thunder be a better team with Evans, who is the better player to most people? The argument against this would be, Reke needs the ball in his hands more, which takes it away from Westbrook and Durant. 

What do you think?


----------



## Basel (Mar 31, 2005)

FX™ said:


> Oklahoma had the chance to pick Tyreke. They instead chose James Harden. Harden is a beast too, but would the Thunder be a better team with Evans, *who is the better player to most people?* The argument against this would be, Reke needs the ball in his hands more, which takes it away from Westbrook and Durant.
> 
> What do you think?


Isn't it ALL people? Does anybody think Harden is better than Evans?

And hindsight is always 20/20. Evans with Westbrook/Durant would've been awesome.


----------



## Ben (Nov 7, 2006)

Basel said:


> Isn't it ALL people? Does anybody think Harden is better than Evans?


Looking on a couple of forums, people think that if Harden was given his own team to run, he'd be just as good, if not better than Evans. I disagree personally.

A lot of people however agree Tyreke is the better player, but that Harden is the better fit for OKC.


----------



## jokeaward (May 22, 2003)

Well if Harden wants to sign an extension like Durant, maybe $7 million per year, they probably will. Tyreke could make the max; new CBA , but could be $14, so twice. All the better to walso sign Russell. $17M average for Durant, maybe 11 for Westbrook... $35 for those three


----------



## PD (Sep 10, 2004)

So many teams out there would take Harden off your hands for some pretty nice value. He is going to be one of those special role players that contending teams like. In particular, Chicago probably would love to have him in the line up with Rose, Noah, Boozer, and Deng.


----------



## Floods (Oct 25, 2005)

Basel said:


> Isn't it ALL people? Does anybody think Harden is better than Evans?
> 
> And hindsight is always 20/20. Evans with Westbrook/Durant would've been awesome.


An Evans/Westbrook backcourt would be pretty redundant.


----------



## RollWithEm (Jul 16, 2002)

Floods said:


> An Evans/Westbrook backcourt would be pretty redundant.


I completely agree. Harden is the much better fit.


----------



## Bogg (May 4, 2009)

Durant's a good enough shooter that you could get away with an Evans/Durant pairing, but it would require moving Westbrook for a guard with shooting range because those two would mesh poorly, as previous posters pointed out. Looking back, picking Evans instead of Harden probably only makes sense if you also move Westbrook for another pick and take either Harden or Steph Curry. When you take into account Tyreke's character issues the Thunder are probably better off having not picked him even though I think he is a better player than Harden.


----------



## Sliccat (Oct 16, 2004)

Bogg said:


> Durant's a good enough shooter that you could get away with an Evans/Durant pairing, but it would require moving Westbrook for a guard with shooting range because those two would mesh poorly, as previous posters pointed out. Looking back, picking Evans instead of Harden probably only makes sense if you also move Westbrook for another pick and take either Harden or Steph Curry. When you take into account Tyreke's character issues the Thunder are probably better off having not picked him even though I think he is a better player than Harden.


At this point, Westbrook is a better player than Evans, and while I think Evans will turn out a little better, it's not worth drafting him and then hoping you can trade Westbrook for some mysterious player who will be slightly worse and a better fit. Better to just settle with Harden, who's got all he needs to be a brilliantly complete player.

Don't sleep on Harden, the guy doesn't have the standout talent of Evans, but if he can be an above average defender, he's going to be the perfect fit for his team. He's going to be the picture of underrated efficiency, which is what good teams need.


----------



## Damian Necronamous (Jun 10, 2002)

Harden won't be a great player, but he can certainly develop into a very good scoring SG.

And I certainly wouldn't say that Westbrook is definitely better than Tyreke at this point. Evans is one of only a few rookies to ever average 20/5/5.


----------



## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

Westbrook
Evans/Sefolosha
Durant

Thats the back court you dream of. 
But still no Bigs.


----------



## Bogg (May 4, 2009)

hroz said:


> Westbrook
> Evans/Sefolosha
> Durant
> 
> ...


Durant's the only guy in that group that can shoot, and Evans and Westbrook are at their best with the ball in their hands, you know that right? You'd have to trade either Westbrook or Evans or that team would wind up much less than the sum of their parts.


----------



## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

Bogg said:


> Durant's the only guy in that group that can shoot, and Evans and Westbrook are at their best with the ball in their hands, you know that right? You'd have to trade either Westbrook or Evans or that team would wind up much less than the sum of their parts.


You have three guys that can create their own shot that is huge and a defensive bulldog in Sefolosha.

Having to decide whether to double Durant or Evans is ridiculous. Durant spaces the floor Evans and Westbrook can both score and create for their teammates. Its ridculous to say you would prefer Harden to Evans.

That team reminds me of the Heat backcourt just better as one of their great players(Durant) spaces the floor. PS I think Green can guard Bosh.


----------



## Blue (Jun 21, 2007)

Evans is better player, but too redundant. Harden can play, just give him a chance.


----------



## Bogg (May 4, 2009)

hroz said:


> You have three guys that can create their own shot that is huge and a defensive bulldog in Sefolosha.
> 
> Having to decide whether to double Durant or Evans is ridiculous. Durant spaces the floor Evans and Westbrook can both score and create for their teammates. Its ridculous to say you would prefer Harden to Evans.


Evans, Westbrook, and Sefolosha are all miserable shooters, you just play your best defender in Durant's chest and double off BOTH Evans and Westbrook as needed while packing the lane. If you had that backcourt together right now all with their current values, the correct move isn't to prefer Harden to Evans, but to trade Evans(or Westbrook) for a guard with range and a big man. Evans and Westbrook are simply 100% incompatible, and one needs to be moved. Honestly, you could keep/trade either one, but keeping Westbrook-Evans-Durant together is an awful decision.


In theoretical land, Evans and Green+a pick or two(if needed) to Memphis for OJ Mayo and Gasol would be fantastic for the Thunder.


----------



## CosaNostra (Sep 16, 2010)

Evans and Westbrook are very similar players, I don't see how this would benefit the Sonics. Harden has the chance to become a 10-15 PPG scorer and has long range shooting ability that Tyreke doesn't. With Durant and Westbrook carrying the scoring load and Westbrook handling the ball, what purpose does Reke serve? Harden is a great role player for this team. Westbrook, Tyreke and Durant all on the same team would be too much. As I believe we'll see this year with the Heat, there is such thing as too much star power on one team.


----------



## Luke (Dec 7, 2008)

Thank god that didn't happen; has Tyreke passed the ball once this season? He's taken a huge step backwards.

Atleast Harden knows his place.


----------



## Ben (Nov 7, 2006)

What's to say Tyreke wouldn't know his place on that Thunder team? Tbh I haven't watched a Kings game all year and no desire to..even though they looked quite promising at the end of last year.


----------



## Luke (Dec 7, 2008)

ßen said:


> What's to say Tyreke wouldn't know his place on that Thunder team? Tbh I haven't watched a Kings game all year and no desire to..even though they looked quite promising at the end of last year.


Tyreke on the Thunder would be a bad fit from the get go. Neither Westbrook or Evans can hit a jumpshot consistant and both of them need the ball in their hands to be effective, I don't see how they could coexist. Atleast Harden can strech the defense so Durant has room to operate, as well as not hogging the ball.

Tyreke has gone off the deep end so far this season. He's been playing incredibly inefficient "me first" basketball and the Kings have suffered as a result. I was pretty high on the kid (and the Kings) after last year but now it's pretty clear that he (along with Cousins) are complete and total headcases.


----------



## Wade County (Jun 22, 2003)

Westbrook's J has actually come on quite a bit. He's a pretty competent midrange shooter now.


----------



## CosaNostra (Sep 16, 2010)

Wade County said:


> Westbrook's J has actually come on quite a bit. He's a pretty competent midrange shooter now.


It's improved, but still not very good. He shoots 37.8% on jump shots. Rajon Rondo, not generally considered a solid jump shooter, shoots 45.3%. He's more similar to Trevor Ariza, who shoots 36.8%. I like what Westbrook is doing this year though.


----------



## Bogg (May 4, 2009)

Feeling pretty good now about having been anti-Evans.


----------



## Dre (Jun 20, 2003)

A Westbrook and Evans backcourt would not work. Ever.


----------



## RollWithEm (Jul 16, 2002)

Dre said:


> A Westbrook and Evans backcourt would not work. Ever.


Not to mention that Harden has fit in pretty well this season. I didn't think he had that much fight in him.


----------



## Bogg (May 4, 2009)

RollWithEm said:


> Not to mention that Harden has fit in pretty well this season. I didn't think he had that much fight in him.


I posted this last night, but he's turned into a sane J.R. Smith ever since Jeff Green got traded. If he continues developing he just may wind up just flat-out being the right pick, as he has better 2-guard size than Steph Curry and obviously fits in much better than Evans could. There's been a bit of a swoon in April after a great March, but I think he's got the ability to be the third scorer that team needs.


----------

