lefty
12-06-2011, 11:48 AM
Reggie Evans draws interest from Celtics
Rugged forward would fill need for rebounding help
By Gary Washburn (http://www.bostonglobe.com/staff/washburn) and Julian Benbow (http://www.bostonglobe.com/staff/benbow)
| Globe Staff December 03, 2011
The Celtics have wasted no time reaching out to free agents who fit their defensive mold, including Reggie Evans, who said yesterday he was “honored’’ by their interest.
Evans could be an instant salve to the Celtics’ rebounding woes. The rugged, 6-foot-9-inch forward is a solid interior defender with a mean streak.
Perennially one of the league leaders in rebounds per minute, Evans grabbed a career-best 11.5 per game last season for the Raptors. He has played just 58 games over the past two years because of injuries, including foot surgery last season, but said he is healthy.
Teams can begin signing free agents on Friday.
“I was kind of surprised when they reached out to me,’’ Evans said. “It was an honor, especially with the kind of players they have on their team.’’
The Celtics are in desperate need of big men who can rebound, and while Evans is deficient offensively, he has spent his career being a spark plug off the bench. He has averaged 6.9 rebounds over his nine-year career despite averaging just 19.5 minutes. And he said he has spent considerable time at center, especially the last two seasons when Andrea Bargnani proved better at forward.
“[The Celtics] are a tough-minded team and I am a tough-minded player,’’ said Evans, who was a teammate of Ray Allen’s in Seattle. “I don’t really take too much on the court and they really don’t take too much on the court. So that’s why I used to love to play against them so much because they used to remind me of myself, knowing their competitive nature and they don’t take any plays off. I liked to play against them.’’
At 31, Evans is seeking a bit of security, and a chance to win a championship after advancing beyond the first round of the playoffs just once.
“I want to win a title so bad,’’ he said. “I know I’m not getting younger in the league, so I want a chance to win. I want to weigh out all my options because I got the right attitude, I’m not trying to go to a team and start shooting the ball. I just want to see if there’s a need for me out there.’’
Rugged forward would fill need for rebounding help
By Gary Washburn (http://www.bostonglobe.com/staff/washburn) and Julian Benbow (http://www.bostonglobe.com/staff/benbow)
| Globe Staff December 03, 2011
The Celtics have wasted no time reaching out to free agents who fit their defensive mold, including Reggie Evans, who said yesterday he was “honored’’ by their interest.
Evans could be an instant salve to the Celtics’ rebounding woes. The rugged, 6-foot-9-inch forward is a solid interior defender with a mean streak.
Perennially one of the league leaders in rebounds per minute, Evans grabbed a career-best 11.5 per game last season for the Raptors. He has played just 58 games over the past two years because of injuries, including foot surgery last season, but said he is healthy.
Teams can begin signing free agents on Friday.
“I was kind of surprised when they reached out to me,’’ Evans said. “It was an honor, especially with the kind of players they have on their team.’’
The Celtics are in desperate need of big men who can rebound, and while Evans is deficient offensively, he has spent his career being a spark plug off the bench. He has averaged 6.9 rebounds over his nine-year career despite averaging just 19.5 minutes. And he said he has spent considerable time at center, especially the last two seasons when Andrea Bargnani proved better at forward.
“[The Celtics] are a tough-minded team and I am a tough-minded player,’’ said Evans, who was a teammate of Ray Allen’s in Seattle. “I don’t really take too much on the court and they really don’t take too much on the court. So that’s why I used to love to play against them so much because they used to remind me of myself, knowing their competitive nature and they don’t take any plays off. I liked to play against them.’’
At 31, Evans is seeking a bit of security, and a chance to win a championship after advancing beyond the first round of the playoffs just once.
“I want to win a title so bad,’’ he said. “I know I’m not getting younger in the league, so I want a chance to win. I want to weigh out all my options because I got the right attitude, I’m not trying to go to a team and start shooting the ball. I just want to see if there’s a need for me out there.’’