The Boston Celtics are getting back into their groove after losing three straight games before the All-Star break. The team is currently on a three-game winning run after beating the Memphis Grizzlies, 109-98, at home on Monday night but remains second in the East at only half-a-game behind the Toronto Raptors.
Even though their roster is perceived to be stable, the Celtics are still rumored to be planning to make a splash in free agency this summer.
One of the latest names mentioned in the Celtics’ rumor mill is that of Grizzlies starter Tyreke Evans. The 28-year-old shooting guard has been playing the best season of his career since his rookie year, averaging 19.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 1.1 steals in 31.0 minutes per game.
Evans was heavily-linked to the Celtics before this year’s trade deadline, with the Grizzlies reportedly asking a first-round draft pick in return. Boston did not approve and Memphis elected to keep the former Rookie of the Year awardee instead, despite having the risk of losing him for nothing in free agency this July.
Mass Live’s Jay King reported that Evans admitted his friends were “ more shocked ” than him as he remained with the Grizzlies after the deadline. The former Memphis Tigers standout also said that he was not worried about it and had let his agent handle everything off the court.
However, Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald recently tweeted that Evans would be open to switching teams in the summer, and the Celtics are still one of his top considerations.
“(I) definitely want to talk to my family and my brothers, my agent. Hopefully, we’ll make the right choice,” Evans said, as quoted by a separate Boston Herald article. “Summertime, I just have to weigh my options. I’ve been through free agency before, so I know what to expect now.”
Evans has been struggling with knee issues since the 2015-2016 season when he only played 25 games for the New Orleans Pelicans. He then made just 26 appearances the following season as he was also demoted to a bench role. Evans has been quite healthy this season, although he is currently listed as day-to-day because of a rib cartilage injury, SB Nation’s Grizzly Bear Blues reported.
