2018 NBA Mock Draft: Who’s moving at the top?

Evans is rising quickly on draft boards, lining up at No. 15 over at The Stepien and just behind at No. 24 for ESPN. To let him fall even as far as 21 would be a mistake by the league, as he is a prototypical two-way guard who fits the versatile direction of the league on both ends. The Jazz tend to target guys who contribute on defense, and their system asks a lot out of its pieces on offense. Evans stands out as someone who could thrive with the Jazz.

Of course, the majority of Evans’ value comes from the way he would complement Donovan Mitchell, Utah’s surprising rookie and playoff hero. They are suddenly right back where they left off in the 2017 playoffs, replacing Gordon Hayward with the younger, cheaper Mitchell without missing a beat. This gives them the opportunity to reset their roster and find guys who fit with Mitchell.

Evans also brings the pedigree of a rising Cincinnati program that he helped turn into a defensive powerhouse, something that feels like it could matter to Quin Snyder and the Jazz, who play a similar style and demand contribution from every player, just like the Bearcats.

Perhaps I’ve locked onto Evans as a fit too early in this process — the Jazz could surely target other guards such as De’Anthony Melton or go all-in on the wing to make up for the potential departure of Derrick Favors by drafting someone like Josh Okogie. With such an impressive player development system, you almost have to trust Utah no matter who they select.