Tyreke Evans has spent the offseason working on improving his jumper.

"I just try to go straight up and down," Evans said. "Every time I'd go and lean back, I'd just think to myself to go straight up."

Evans' ability to shoot the ball wasn't being respected by opponents on defense.

"People just started looking at film and started trying to keep me from going to the basket," he said. "This year, I'm going to have to go to the pull-up (jump shot). I'm still going to go in there, no matter what, but I want to go to the pull-up too."

"Here, you're playing against Kobe Bryant or Dwyane Wade, and they're backing off, inviting you to shoot," Keith Smart said. "That's telling you that you haven't worked on your shooting. He isn't disrespecting you; that's just telling you that you have work, son." 

Smart was impressed by how Evans was taking a step toward improving his game.

"He's trying to grow," Smart said. "He could easily be one of those guys, icing, talking to guys. But he knows where he's at. But that's the thing, seeing him now, four years in, it's starting to sink in. 'When coaches were trying to get me to come back and shoot, that's why. Oh now, I know.' Now the motor's churning."

"He's way more focused," said DeMarcus Cousins. "He's in good shape, and he's ready to turn things around. He wants to get this thing turned around as well."