One NBA writer believes the New York Knicks will trade Evan Fournier. Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report dubbed Fournier “a pretty obvious trade candidate.”
“Evan Fournier’s under contract through 2024-25, when he’s set to be paid $19 million, but it’s a team option. Functionally, that makes it an expiring contract for whatever team takes him on,” Bailey wrote in his latest NBA trade column. “And although he fell entirely out of the New York Knicks’ rotation last season, it’s hard to imagine he’s suddenly unplayable.
“During the three seasons immediately preceding 2022-23, Fournier averaged 16.3 points and 2.8 threes, while shooting 39.7 percent from deep. And over the course of his entire career, his teams’ point differential is slightly better when he plays. His ability to at least space the floor could make Fournier as likely to be a rental as he is to be a salary dump. And two paths out of New York make him a pretty obvious trade candidate.”
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Evan Fournier, New York Knicks Updates
Fournier will make $18.9 million next season. He signed a four-year, $73 million contract with New York in August 2021 as part of a sign-and-trade deal with the Boston Celtics. Fournier only appeared in 27 games last season. He was removed from the rotation by head coach Tom Thibodeau. After the Knicks lost to the Miami Heat in the 2023 Eastern Conference Semifinals in six games, Fournier told NBA reporters he expected to get traded this summer.
“You know I’m not gonna be back,” Fournier said. “There’s no way they’re gonna keep me. I would be very surprised if they do. So we’ll see. It’s obviously not in my hands though.”
Fournier averaged 6.1 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 2022-23 while shooting 33.7% from the field, 30.7% from beyond the arc and 85.7% from the free-throw line. It will be fascinating to see where the 30-year-old is playing next season.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Evan Fournier, New York Knicks Updates
Fournier has career NBA averages of 14.0 points, 2.7 boards and 2.5 assists with the Denver Nuggets, Orlando Magic, Celtics and Knicks. He made a career-high 241 3-pointers in 2021-22.
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