Waiting for Tyreke Evans to grow into the player we hoped he could be was a frustrating experience as a fan.
I don't miss Tyreke Evans.
I know based on some recent comments I've seen that not everyone will agree with me on this. And I hope nobody takes this as me bashing Tyreke Evans. He seems like a good enough guy and I have nothing against him as a person.
But I don't miss Tyreke.
This isn't about his slow start to the season. I think Tyreke will be fine for the Pelicans. I don't care that his numbers weren't great for the first few weeks of the year.
This isn't about the Kings having a perfect roster. It's very easy to argue that Tyreke would still be one of the best talents on a roster lacking talent. You could argue, pretty easily, that with Tyreke in the fold the Kings might have a couple extra wins right now.
But I don't miss waiting for Tyreke to become the player he has the potential to be. I don't miss watching the Kings and being completely lost as to how he could fit with the roster. I don't miss trying to figure out how the Kings could build around him.
Tyreke Evans is a unique talent. We knew that from the first few weeks of his rookie season. But the problem with Tyreke was always that he didn't fit. Was he a point guard? Was he NaPG? Was he a shooting guard? A small forward? A combo guard? A super sixth man? We still aren't sure. New Orleans is trying the super sixth man role, the one role the Kings never really tried Tyreke in, but it hardly seems like a sure answer to the constant question.
I don't miss it. For all their faults, we generally have players who fit into roles right now. Ben McLemore is a shooting guard. Greivis Vasquez is a point guard. Isaiah Thomas is a super sub. John Salmons is an expiring contract. Clearly defined roles. No more of Tyreke's positional ambiguity.
Maybe the Pelicans can figure it out. Maybe they can't. But whatever happens is on them. We don't have to wring our hands and debate what's best for him. We, of course, can instead expend that energy arguing about Isaiah Thomas' role or minutes, or Jimmer Fredette versus Marcus Thornton.
There will always be debates and consternations. But I don't miss having those discussions about Tyreke. Perhaps it's just exhaustion because we debated him so much for so long.
Tyreke, I wish you nothing but the best. I'm thankful for the time you spent here, and the highlights and the memories you created. But I don't miss having you as a Sacramento King.
