Evans had his best game of the summer on Wednesday, and the Timberwolves have every reason to let it turn into a real role.
Isaiah Evans arrived in Las Vegas with plenty to prove and almost nothing going his way.
The rookie missed Minnesota's Summer League opener while the four-team LaMelo Ball trade got finalized, then opened his career by missing all nine of his threes against Denver before another rough shooting night against Portland.
For a player whose entire draft profile was built on shooting, an 0-for-15 start from deep was a strange way to introduce himself to a new fanbase, even if his defense hinted that better nights were coming.
Wednesday brought the breakout, as Evans scored 22 points in a 114-98 win over the Pacers while hitting four threes and going 5-of-7 inside the arc.
Six Timberwolves reached double figures in the game, and the team closed pool play at 2-2 with one more game left in Vegas.
His jumper finally looked like the one that made him a second-round pick, and he did not sound surprised by any of it afterward.
"I think Duke prepared me the most," Evans said. "The terminology is the same; the physicality is the same."
Where He Fits in the Rotation
Minnesota acquired his draft rights from Brooklyn as part of the Ball deal and then signed him to a four-year, $9.3 million contract, a real commitment for the 33rd overall pick.
The path to minutes is also clearer than it usually is for rookies drafted in that range.
Donte DiVincenzo, who averaged 12.2 points while starting all 82 games last season, ruptured his Achilles in the first round of the playoffs and is expected to miss most of the upcoming season, which removes Minnesota's best movement shooter from the wing group.
Evans is the closest thing on the roster to that skill set.
The 6-foot-6 wing led Duke with 101 made threes last season while averaging 15.0 points, and Duke went 19-0 when he made at least three of them.
His quick release and deep range should travel well, and his length gives him a chance to hold up defensively sooner than his thin frame suggests.
Why He Needs Real Minutes This Season
The Timberwolves went 49-33 last season and lost to the Spurs in the second round, then reshaped the roster around a new backcourt.
LaMelo Ball arrives as the first true playmaker of Anthony Edwards' career, but the front office gave up Naz Reid and a pile of draft capital to get him, which thinned out the shooting behind the starters.
Somebody has to space the floor when the second unit checks in, and Evans is the one bench player built specifically for that job.
Rookies from his draft slot usually wait their turn, but Evans should not have to, because the roster need and his skill line up almost perfectly.
Wednesday showed the shot is still there once the nerves settle, and if it shows up again in Minnesota's final Vegas game, the rotation conversation should follow him right into training camp.
