5. Reggie Evans: 560 minutes with Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, Brook Lopez;
-4.0 per 100 possessions
It’s not that Evans is a bad player. He’s not. He functioned well with the self-titled “Bench Mob” when facing opposing team’s second units. But when the Nets’ starters struggle, Evans’s near-complete lack of an offensive game makes it near impossible for the Nets to compete with most high-level teams.
Evans is arguably the team’s best pick-and-roll defender, which gives him significant value, but he’s at his best feasting on the mistakes of lesser players. When faced with a talented post player — specifically long, athletic ones — his offensive and defensive limitations get exposed. That doesn’t happen so much when he’s going up against second units, but when he’s with the starters, it’s been a night-in, night-out phenomenon.
Evans is a phenomenal rebounder, a great teammate & bench player, and someone who’s abilities could prove invaluable to a playoff team. But as a starter playing significant minutes, his detriments become simply too significant to ignore.
Next: #4 |