PLAYER PROFILE

Reggie Evans

POWER FORWARD

Height: 6’8”
Weight: 245
Birthday: May 18, 1980
Hometown: Penascola, FL
Years Pro: 10
Twitter: @ReggieEvans30

Nickname: None

How He Got Here: The Nets traded the rights to swap second-round picks in 2016 to the Clippers in a sign-and-trade for Reggie Evans this offseason. The trade was agreed upon before the offseason transaction deadline, but was not made official until July 11th, 2012.

Contract: Evans signed a three-year contract worth approximately $5.1 million this offseason, guaranteed through the 2014-15 season.

Backstory

When Evans came to the NBA, he was told by his first coach that he had four duties: rebound, set picks, play defense, and give energy. A small role? Perhaps. But a decade later, he's still here.

Evans is MarShon Brooks’ antithesis. While Brooks knows his role as the points man off the bench, Evans is the opposite: he is not a scorer, and won’t ever try to become one. He's made it in the NBA by doing those four things, and doing them well has made him a fan favorite at his different stops. He'll hit the floor with reckless abandon and relishes in the criticism that calls him a "dirty player."

Like all other stops in his career, Evans won't be asked to play a leading role in Brooklyn, but his few minutes are key as he's skilled in areas other Nets big men aren't.

Strengths

Evans plays to his own four factors: again, that's rebounding, setting picks, playing defense, and giving energy. When asked about his role with the team, Reggie kept it short and sweet: “I ain’t tryin’ to score.” On a team with so many offensive weapons, Evans is a terror, particularly rebounding the basketball; he would rank second all-time behind just Dennis Rodman in total rebound percentage if he had enough minutes to qualify. He's a one-trick pony, but he's built his career on it.

Weaknesses

Evans is chock-full of weaknesses, but unlike many others, doesn’t play to them. He doesn’t force bad shots or try to dribble out of pressure. He doesn’t shoot outside of the restricted area. That doesn't make them any less weak, though; he has significant limitations offensively, and you can’t play him unless you’ve got three or four scorers on the floor with him. Evans has a reputation around the league as a flopper, and despite his attention to defense can only do so much with his 6’8” frame.

Three revealing numbers

1) 21.1%. Evans’ career total rebounding percentage of 21.1%, as mentioned, would rank behind only Dennis Rodman in NBA history if he had the minutes to qualify.

2) 3.4. Evans attempted just 3.4 shots per 36 minutes last season, using less than 10% of his team’s possessions.

3) 21.3%. One troubling number is Evans's turnover rate -- 21.3% for his career and an alarming 29.9% last season. Despite using so few of his team's possessions, Evans managed to turn over the ball 2.1 times per 36 minutes.

High point

In Game 1 of the Clippers-Grizzlies playoff series, Evans entered the game with 1:17 left in the third quarter, facing an 84-59 deficit. In those final 13 minutes and 17 seconds, Evans grabbed nine key rebounds, drew two fouls, blocked one shot, snared one steal, and made two baskets in their miracle fourth-quarter comeback -- including the bucket that gave the Clippers their first lead at 97-96. They eventually won the game, and the series, thanks in large part to Reggie Evans; they out-grit-and-grinded a Memphis team known for grit-and-grinding.

Low point

The moment Reggie Evans’ career went... south.

From the Coach

"Billy and I talked about putting together a team. If you look at the 1989 Pistons, they were a team. We feel we have that type of player in Joe Dumars and the Dennis Rodman’s, guys like Reggie Evans that can do the dirty work."

Fun Fact: Evans and Deron Williams developed a fast friendship at the expense of their teammates, filling MarShon Brooks’ car with popcorn and throwing Tyshawn Taylor’s clothes into the training pool.