NBA Rumors: Giving Up Tyreke Evans for Kyle Lowry Makes No Sense for Kings

After adding the 18th-overall selection in Thursday's draft by sending forward Chase Budinger to the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Houston Rockets are apparently only getting started, according to DraftExpress' Jonathan Givony:

"

Sources say Houston has an offer of Lowry, the #14 and #16 picks for Tyreke Evans and the #5 pick on the table. Up to Sacramento to decide.

— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) June 26, 2012"

It's not hard to see why the Houston Rockets would like this deal. Evans would give the team a versatile backcourt scorer who excels at slashing to the rim. His still-improving mid-range game would also give the Rockets a weapon they don't currently have in their arsenal.

Most importantly, Evans has far more star potential than Kyle Lowry.

Sure, his numbers have dipped a bit since his rookie season, but that has a lot more to do with injury and the extent to which his role has "evolved" since coming to the Kings. After spending most of his minutes in the backcourt as a rookie and sophomore, he was asked to check small forwards this year in order to make room for Isaiah Thomas and Marcus Thornton.

Despite the instability, Evans has continued to produce across the board, and his field-goal percentage bounced back to the 45 percent range after an injury-riddled second season that watched it fall to 41 percent.

The more important question for Sacramento, though, is what would it want with yet another point guard when it could really use a starting small forward?

Perhaps Thomas could defer to Lowry and go to the bench, but that would leave a hole on the wing and a couple of average draft picks to fill it. 

A much better plan would be to keep Evans and use that fifth-overall pick to bring in a forward like Michael Kidd-Gilchrist or Harrison Barnes. With Thomas Robinson and Bradley Beal almost certain to be selected with one of the top-four spots, either MKG or Barnes should be available to the Kings.

Besides the lower ceiling and rotation mechanics, Evans is also four years younger than the 26-year-old Lowry.

With DeMarcus Cousins similarly at the earliest stages of what promises to be an excellent career, the Kings should continue building on the youthful foundation it's already laid. It's far too soon to give up on it, especially if that means losing Evans.