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Hawks fill Childress' void by signing Evans
Veteran swingman signs multi-year deal, could slide into sixth-man role


The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 07/25/08

The Hawks didn't waste any time filling the void left by Josh Childress, who signed a three-year deal with a Greek team Wednesday.

Journeyman Maurice Evans has agreed to terms with the Hawks on a three-year deal believed to be worth about $7.5 million, according to multiple sources familiar with the situation.

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Evans was reportedly close to signing a three-year deal with Golden State on Wednesday, one California newspaper reported.

But that was before Childress bolted for the Euro league and before the Warriors decided to match a three-year, $9 million offer sheet to their own restricted free agent swingman, Kelena Azubuike, from the Los Angeles Clippers Thursday.

Evans, a six-year veteran, started 47 games last season for Orlando, the Hawks' Southeast Division rival, including all 10 playoff games against Toronto and Detroit for the division champs.

He could slide into the sixth-man spot vacated when Childress opted for a deal with Greek power Olympiakos.

Evans, a 6-foot-5, 220-pound swingman, averaged 9.3 points and 3.1 rebounds in 68 games last season after being traded to Orlando from the Los Angeles Lakers.

Evans, 29, has a reputation as a tenacious perimeter defender and opportunistic offensive threat. He's a career 37 percent shooter from beyond the 3-point line, and averaged a career-high 9.3 points last season.

Evans played the best game of his NBA career against the Hawks in April. He scored a career-high 27 points in a 121-105 win over the Hawks on April 15 at Philips Arena.

Since the start of the 2001-02 season, Evans has logged time with Minnesota, Sacramento, Detroit, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Magic, his longest stint with one team being the 2006-07 season with the Lakers and the seven games he played last season before being traded.

The Lakers traded Evans and Brian Cook to the Magic last November for Trevor Ariza.

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