Mavs see Evans as key part of bench
Forward can defend at three positions, has improved range on shot.
After five seasons
HOUSTON — in Utah where he was mostly on the fringe of the playing rotation, Jeremy Evans was asked what he wants to accomplish with the Mavericks.
“Just to make a name for myself,” he said.
That will take time, but the 6-foot-9, 200-pound Evans made a terrific impression in the opening set of preseason games.
First, in the second quarter Tuesday against Denver, he threw down a highlight-reel, one-handed dunk after J.J. Barea slipped him a nice feed. It was one of the most athletic, forceful dunks that any Maverick has had since Brandan Wright left.
Against Houston in a 109-82 loss Wednesday at Toyota Center, Evans got a lob pass from Devin Harris and flushed it with authority. Later in the first half, he guarded James Harden and forced an air ball.
Through two exhibitions in which the coaching staff was focused on evaluation of role players, Evans was a standout.
He was an under-the-radar signee in free agency this summer. The Mavericks love the idea of his being able to play either forward position and help out at center in certain small-ball lineups against opposing athletic centers.
“He’s a hard worker and all that, but he has the skill set, the athletic ability, he’s shooting the ball to 3-point range and I’m confident he can guard all those positions,” coach Rick Carlisle said. “He’s a guy we’re going to need to play multiple spots. We want activity, rebounding, shot-blocking, open shot-making and as you can see, you can throw the ball up and he’ll go get it and dunk it.”
That much was obvious on the rim-shaking dunks in the back-to-back exhibitions.
Harris knew Evans when both of them played in Utah.
“He’s got a lot on his plate right now — playing small forward, power forward and probably some center,” Harris said. “His shot has gotten a lot better since I saw him in Utah. He’s continually getting better and I expect him to be a big part of this team this year. But he’s got a lot of things going through his head right now.”
Evans’ offensive game is versatile. He’s worked hard on his 3-point shooting, which was never a part of his arsenal in Utah. He shot just 10 3-pointers in five seasons. But Carlisle wanted him to extend his shooting range, and that was a huge focal point in the offseason.
Every bit as important, however, is the other end of the court. Evans is a lively player, which was one of the reasons the Jazz took a chance on him in the second round (55th overall pick) of the 2010 draft.
He had to check Harden on a lot of possessions, and Evans got schooled on a post-up by Harden, who finished second in MVP voting last season.
“It’s pretty clear he’s going to be one of our better defensive players with his activity and length,” Carlisle said. “He’s an above-the-rim kind of guy. He’s going to have to guard a lot of different positions.”
Evans was a rotation player in only one of his five seasons with the Jazz, averaging 18.3 minutes, 6.1 points and 4.7 rebounds in 2013-14.
Defense clearly is the one way he can earn his way onto the floor for the Mavericks.
“For me, I just focus on taking pride in one-on-one defense,” Evans said. “I hate getting beat off the dribble.”