Because Isaiah Evans has shown he can space the floor at the college level, there’s a good chance he’ll be on an NBA roster this time next year. He won’t go in the lottery, but a playoff-caliber team could take a flyer on him late in the first round.
The big question is whether he can fill out his skinny frame to handle the physicality of the NBA. That might be the difference between a decade-long career and one that doesn’t last beyond his rookie deal. So who could give him the best shot to thrive?
5 NBA Teams That Could Draft Isaiah Evans
Evans may not go in the lottery. He might not even be a first-rounder. But the shooting he’s flashed in college could still draw attention from teams needing a floor spacer. Here are five that could make sense.
Orlando Magic
The Magic need shooting — plain and simple. They’ve got their cornerstones in Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner and the defensive foundation with Jalen Suggs and Jonathan Isaac. They don’t have a reliable shooter, and Evans could help fill that gap.
Orlando has taken a step back this season, making their need for shooting more obvious. It’s unclear if Evans will be a plus on defense, but on a rookie deal, he offers cheap floor spacing to a team that needs it most.
Boston Celtics
The Celtics might have to cut some of their shooting depth to avoid the second tax apron. That could mean parting with Sam Hauser or Payton Pritchard, who currently give Boston’s second unit its shooting punch. Evans could step into that role.
Boston will be looking for low-cost options as they continue paying Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown max deals. They know how valuable it is to surround those two with shooters, and Evans could be the next one off the bench.
Phoenix Suns
The Suns might look different next season, but even without Kevin Durant, they could still try to compete. They’ll need more shooting to ease the load on Devin Booker and Bradley Beal. That’s where Evans comes in.
The Suns have bigger needs — like frontcourt depth — but if no bigs are worth drafting late in the first, Evans might be the best value pick. He wouldn’t fix everything, but he could give them a needed spark from beyond the arc.
Miami Heat
The Heat has a track record of turning shooters into genuine contributors. Erik Spoelstra has a way of maximizing what he’s got. Evans may not be a star in Miami, but he could easily be their next success story.
Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo weren’t top picks, and they’ve become key players. Miami develops its guys. While they’d probably prefer a future star, Evans could be a solid complementary piece on their next playoff run.
Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers have scoring options but few pure shooters. That’s not to say they lack floor spacing, but they don’t have players who specialize in letting it fly. That’s where Evans fits.
With scorers like Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, Norman Powell, and Bogdan Bogdanovic, spacing matters. Evans wouldn’t be counted on to create offense, but he could thrive by stretching the floor and making life easier for the stars.
Evans isn’t a sure thing, but teams will be intrigued by a three-point shooter they can develop. He won’t change a franchise, but he could be a valuable bench piece for a playoff team.
