32-year-old Tyreke Evans hasn’t been seen since the 2018-19 season, when he was banned from the league for violations of the NBA/NBPA Anti-Drug Policy.
But after almost three full seasons, it seems Evans is set to make his return.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the former Rookie of the Year has been reinstated after meeting all the requirements.
The NBA is reinstating guard Tyreke Evans, sources tell ESPN. He was suspended from the league in 2019 with a drug ban.
The NBA is reinstating guard Tyreke Evans, sources tell ESPN. He was suspended from the league in 2019 with a drug ban.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 14, 2022
Back in December, Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee broke down what the return process entails for any player who gets banned for drugs.
Evans became eligible for reinstatement earlier this year, but a player can only be reinstated with the approval of the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association.
Under the collective bargaining agreement, a player banned for drugs must meet certain treatment and rehabilitation requirements before he can be reinstated. For example, a player expelled for a drug of abuse must undergo weekly drug testing without testing positive for 12 months prior to the submission of his application for reinstatement.
After being drafted in 2009, Evans got off to a hot start and was quickly hailed as a future star for the Kings. After four seasons, with his production dipping year after year, the Kings traded him to New Orleans in a three-team deal.
From there, Evans hopped to Memphis and Indiana before being slapped with the ban in 2019.
Now that he has been officially reinstated, there’s a chance he could make a return to action — and the Lakers seem like an obvious fit.
After failing to make any moves during the deadline, the Purple and Gold are expected to look at the buyout/free-agent market in their pursuit of talent. As a solid ball-handler and capable scorer with years of experience, Evans could be a perfect fit in that Lakers backcourt.
Either way, Evans is making progress towards a comeback and that should excite basketball fans.
