On-Air Now
On-Air Now
Listen Live from the Casino Matrix Studio

Free agent report: Evan Turner

By

/

turner-evan-celtics


Evan Turner

Age: 27

Height: 6-foot-7

Career stats: 28.6 mpg; 10.7 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 3.8 apg, 0.8 spg, 0.2 bpg; 43.2/30.5/77.7 shooting splits

2015-16 Stats: 81 games, 28.0 mpg; 10.5 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 4.4 apg, 1.0 spg, 1.2 bpg; 45.6/24.1/82.7 shooting splits

Strengths:

  • Does a little bit of everything
  • Terrific perimeter defender
  • Old school midrange game

Weaknesses:

  • Poor three-point shooter
  • Too small to guard power forwards and centers

Why the Warriors make sense:

Originally thought to be a superstar as the No. 2 overall pick in the 2010 draft, Turner is actually a role player, and a unique one at that. He’s the rare shooting guard who can defend, pass and rebound with the best of them. The 2016 season under Brad Stevens was arguably Turner’s most effective, running point as the team’s sixth man.

Why the Warriors don’t make sense:

Klay Thompson and Shaun Livingston are very similar players to Turner. And in a small ball lineup, Turner is too short to defend power forwards and centers. He’s also going to command a ton of money, likely more than the $12.1 million the Warriors will pay Steph Curry in 2016-17. It would be quite the stunner to see Turner end up in the Bay Area.