The Toronto Raptors added some grit up front yesterday, acquiring power forward Reggie Evans from the Philadelphia 76ers in a trade for sharp-shooter Jason Kapono.
The six-foot-eight Evans is known as a big rebounder and a physical player, adding some toughness the Raptors have sorely been lacking. "We're changing the dynamic of our club with this move,'' Raptors president and GM Bryan Colangelo said yesterday. "This obviously addresses a few areas of need.''
The seven-year NBA veteran averaged 4.6 boards in 14 minutes a game with Philadelphia last season. He averaged a career-best 9.3 per game in 2004-05 with Seattle.
The Raptors signed Kapono, a two-time winner of the all-star three-point shootout, as a free agent in the 2007-08 off-season, but he never lived up to expectations in Toronto. Kapono averaged 8.2 points a night and shot 43 per cent three-point range this past season and came off the bench in all but 12 games.
