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NBA Free Agency: Eight Reasons the Memphis Grizzlies Will Miss Tyreke Evans

By Christian Dudley

DENVER, CO - JANUARY 12: Tyreke Evans #12 of the Memphis Grizzlies drives against the Denver Nuggets at Pepsi Center on January 12, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - JANUARY 12: Tyreke Evans #12 of the Memphis Grizzlies drives against the Denver Nuggets at Pepsi Center on January 12, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/Getty Images) /
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DENVER, CO – JANUARY 12: Tyreke Evans #12 of the Memphis Grizzlies drives against the Denver Nuggets at Pepsi Center on January 12, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO – JANUARY 12: Tyreke Evans #12 of the Memphis Grizzlies drives against the Denver Nuggets at Pepsi Center on January 12, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/Getty Images) /

NBA Free Agency hit the Memphis Grizzlies the hardest on Friday when Tyreke Evans officially signed a contract to join the Indiana Pacers.

Ever since the Memphis Grizzlies’ season ended on April 11th, the largest topic dancing on Grizz Nation’s minds has been re-signing Tyreke Evans. The city of Memphis is partial to ‘Reke, but he emerged as a leader in his one and only season for the Grizzlies.

Memphis entered NBA Free Agency with very little cash to spend to complete their roster for the upcoming season. However, the expectation is that they could snag one key piece off the market with their Mid-Level Exception (MLE). Being as the Grizzlies are classified as a Taxpayer due to their current team payroll status, their MLE is valued at $5,451,600 for the 2018-19 season. Also important to note, Hoops Rumors states “the taxpayer MLE can be used to sign a player for up to three years, with 5% annual raises.” Keep this in mind as NBA Free Agency rolls throughout the summertime.

In reality, one of the Memphis Grizzlies’ very own free-agents should have ranked at the very top of their list of targets. By the conclusion of Monday, it seemed as if this was definitely not the case. One day later, Tyreke Evans was off the market, agreeing in principle on a new one-year deal. The hopeful feelings belonging to Grizz Nation came to a screeching halt. ESPN‘s Adrian Wojnarowski dropped a few tweet bombs on Tuesday, which led to ‘Reke’s decision to join an Eastern Conference club.

Not only is Evans registering for a pay increase, but he is almost certainly signing up for a playoff berth and a deep postseason run. The real losers of this outcome would be — you guessed it — the Memphis Grizzlies. The craziest detail is that the Grizz may have elected to not reach out to Tyreke at all, though he may have preferred to return for a second season in a Grizzlies uniform. It is a mind-boggling scenario. Talk about a major flub in NBA Free Agency.

Without further ado, Beale Street Bears breaks down the top-eight reasons (in no particular order) the Memphis Grizzlies will dearly miss the services of Tyreke Evans.

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