In an offseason full of twists and turns so far, longtime guard Tyreke Evans could possibly be making his dramatic return to the NBA soon.
In May 2019, Evans was “dismissed and disqualified” from the NBA after he violated the league's anti-drug program. Under the NBA's guidelines, a player would violate such rules by either testing positive for a banned substance or if one pleads guilty to the use, possession, or distribution of a drug listed in the league's anti-drug program.
The one-time Indiana Pacers guard was slated to hit free agency that summer, so he did not have to face any financial complications from being under contract with a team at the time of his ban.
The former NBA Rookie of the Year winner can already apply for reinstatement, as his ban from the NBA culminated in May. He would need to pass a drug test and be approved by both the NBA and National Basketball Players Association before he can continue his career in the league.
For the moment, it is not known whether Evans has any plans to return to the NBA.
Most notably, OJ Mayo faced a lengthy ban for violating the NBA's anti-drug program. Mayo was open about once again playing in the NBA following his ban from the league, but such a return has not transpired as he has been playing overseas instead.
Tyreke Evans could follow the same path as Mayo and elect to play overseas as well. There was some chatter last year over whether he would be open to playing in Europe, as he was offered to some EuroLeague clubs. However, his notable salary demands turned away such clubs from pursuing a deal to sign him.
Still, even at the age of 31, Evans may still have plenty to offer to a championship-contending team next season.
Evans last played in the NBA over the 2018-19 season with Indiana. He emerged as a reliable rotational guard for the team as he averaged 10.2 points per game over the season. The veteran guard had a formidable campaign in the previous season while with the Memphis Grizzlies, where he posted a keen 19.4 points per game average on 45.2 percent shooting.
Considering Evans' prowess as an aggressive on-ball scoring guard, he could rejoin the NBA and immediately find his footing as a go-to scoring option off the bench.
The question at the moment certainly revolves around which team would even consider providing Evans with a chance to prove himself, especially as he is coming off of a two-year NBA hiatus.
Tyreke Evans would certainly have to showcase just how much he has left in the tank by hosting a workout for any interested teams. The guard's highlight video from last year would not be enough to even gauge the intrigue of teams looking to still sign a veteran, score-first guard in free agency.
As mentioned, Evans has yet to apply for reinstatement. But if he does, teams such as the Boston Celtics, Dallas Mavericks, or Portland Trail Blazers could be viable destinations for him on a possible veteran minimum deal. These three teams all could use a third-string, score-first shooting guard, and it would be a low-risk, high-reward move for any of them to take a chance on signing Evans to a mere one-year deal.
NBA fans may not have seen the last of Tyreke Evans in the league just yet.
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