One of the consequences of the NBA lockout is players having less time than usual to get into shape for the season. There’s less than a week left before real games begin, and camps have been open less than a few weeks. Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro already talked about Chris Paul losing a few pounds in the team’s offense, and now we have Kings coach Paul Westphal saying Tyreke Evans needs to get in better shape.
“I thought Tyreke looked sluggish and not ready to show how he can play,” Westphal said after the team’s preseason loss Saturday night. “I think he needs to pick up his pace play and he did a little bit in the second half. He needs to keep getting in better shape and play at a little faster speed and make better decisions with the ball. He killed the clock a few times and that’s not the way we’re going to play this year.”
There are two points to posting this story. One, Evans has battled weight issues during his career. If he’s not in proper shape again, that’s not a good thing for Sacramento. Two, you will probably see plenty of stories like this the first few weeks of the season. There will be plenty of guys out of shape, and the ones who busted their butts during the lockout will see rewards.
