Reports have emerged out of Memphis that the Boston Celtics could be in the mix to acquire Grizzlies combo guard Tyreke Evans.

Not confirmed. But don't be surprised if Tyreke Evans is moved to Boston — Ronald Tillery (@CAGrizBeat) January 28, 2018

Evans is averaging 19.4 points, 5.0 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game in his first season with the Grizzlies. He’s shooting 45.3 percent overall and 38.8 percent from behind the arc on 5.4 three-point attempts per game.

Evans has started 26 of the 45 games he has played for Memphis, most of them in place of injured point guard Mike Conley. The Grizzlies recently announced that Conley is out for the rest of the season due to an injured heel, which will require surgery.

Evans was the 2009-10 Rookie of the Year while playing for the Sacramento Kings. Since then Evans has battled through various injuries while with the Kings, Pelicans and the Kings a second time. He’s been healthy for this entire season and is playing some of the best basketball of his career.

With Memphis currently sitting at 17-31 and 8.5 games out of the playoffs, some have suggested the Grizzlies will begin to make trades to set them up for a rebuild.

Evans was signed by Memphis using the Bi-Annual exception and has a one year contract worth $3.29 million. Boston could acquire Evans using the Disabled Player Exception the received for Gordon Hayward, as he easily fits within the $8.4 million DPE.

The question is what it would cost the Celtics to acquire Evans in trade. They could send the Grizzlies either a younger player or a pick. Boston owns a future first round pick from Memphis, which will come either in 2019 (if it falls between 9-30), 2020 (if it falls between 7-30) or 2021 (unprotected).

It is unlikely the Celtics would give Memphis that pick back for a player on an expiring contract. Instead, they could trade a young player like Abdel Nader or Guerschon Yabusele, who isn’t part of the rotation and unlikely to be anytime soon. Or the Celtics could trade their own 2018 first round pick. Boston could even protect that pick and eventually turn it into two second round picks if it doesn’t convey as a first rounder. Such deals are quite common for players of Evans’ caliber, who are also on expiring contracts.

If the Celtics want Evans, and the Grizzlies are indeed moving in a different direction, Boston should be able to craft a deal that would beat other offers.