Reactions to the Milwaukee Bucks evaluating Tyreke Evans in G-League

Rumors have been swirling for weeks that the Milwaukee Bucks have done their homework on former Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans. The defending champs reportedly brought him in for a workout recently, but nothing ever came out regarding how it went. It appeared that the Bucks were out on Evans after weeks of radio silence, but that may have just changed as they are now seemingly taking a look at Evans once again with one roster spot left to fill.

According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, Evans is signing a contract in the G-League and is expected to join the Wisconsin Herd, Milwaukee’s affiliate. Charania adds that the Bucks will be evaluating Evans’ play and will consider giving him a chance to make his anticipated NBA return, depending on how things transpire. A handful of players such as Isaiah Thomas and Nik Stauskas have received NBA contracts after stints in the G-League this season, and Evans could very well be next on the list with the Bucks interested.

Reactions to the Milwaukee Bucks taking another look at Tyreke Evans

Given the current predicament with Milwaukee’s bench wing rotation, this news is not surprising. The Bucks unfortunately lost DeAndre’ Bembry for the remainder of the season after he suffered a torn ACL and MCL in Saturday night’s loss to the Golden State Warriors. While Bembry did not play a sizeable role for the defending champs, he was a quality rotational piece for the Bucks, especially with Pat Connaughton, who underwent surgery in February, still sidelined. Adding another wing as they wait for Connaughton’s return would be a feasible move for Milwaukee, and Evans seems like a fitting choice, given their previous interest in him and the current state of the buyout market.

The decision to get a better look at Evans in the G-League before signing him is an interesting one, but it does make sense. The 32-year-old has been out of the league for the past three years after violating the NBA’s Anti-Drug Program in 2019, so teams are unsure of what type of shape he is in. With Evans officially being reinstated last month, the Bucks clearly want to get a better look at the former Rookie of the Year beyond just a workout before committing to handing him a standard deal or even possibly a 10-day.

As the 15th man on Milwaukee’s roster, bringing in Evans would be a low-risk move for several reasons. First, the team could simply use another wing as added insurance with Bembry out and Connaughton rehabilitating. Second, Evans made a living in the league as a scorer, averaging just under 16 points per game throughout his 10-year career, and the Bucks have lacked a legitimate scoring punch in the second unit all year. While there is no guarantee that he could pick up where he left off and pour in double-digit points nightly, Evans could be a justifiable addition to help the Bucks address that lingering problem.

At this point in the season, bringing in Evans would certainly not hurt, but only time will tell what the Milwaukee Bucks decide to do.

Stay tuned for any updates surrounding Milwaukee’s interest in the former Rookie of the Year.