Evan Fournier can’t wait to leave the New York Knicks. It appears that Fournier is strategically applying pressure on the Knicks to either trade or release him quickly, as he acknowledges that his future in the league hinges on that. In a recent interview he made sure everyone knew what he thinks about the organization, head coach Tom Thibodeau.
The Knicks had high hopes for Fournier when they signed him to a lucrative four-year, $73 million contract ahead of the 2021-22 season. However, his time with the Knicks has not gone as anticipated, leaving him contemplating his next move. Last season was especially frustrating for the Frenchman considering he almost saw no meaningful action.
Fournier struggled to make an impact in the few opportunities he had. He averaged 6.1 points per game, his lowest scoring output since his rookie year. Additionally, he did not see any action in the Knicks’ postseason games. While the Knicks still have him under contract for two more years, an imminent separation is on the horizon.
Evan Fournier doesn’t hold back on the Knicks, Tom Thibodeau
Fournier found himself out of the rotation, but that didn’t affect the team’s success. He featured in just 27 regular season games with seven starts and averaging 17.0 minutes per game, so his place on the Knicks isn’t in the lineup. The guard is owed $18.9 million for the upcoming season, so the organization might want to hold on to him in case a favorable trade appears.
“When he took me out of the five, he just told me he was going to try something else. Then at the first match of a road trip, he announced to me that I was leaving the rotation, and ciao. I have nothing to say about our relationship because I have none”, Fournier affirmed in an interview with Yann Ohnona of L’Equipe.
He then mentioned what it was like to be out of the rotation as an experienced player. “You want to spit on everyone. You have hatred. Derrick Rose and I looked at each other and said: ‘What the hell are we doing here?’ During the five-on-five practice, we were on the side like some prospects. Uncool times. And when I realized that wouldn’t change, I took things more slowly. I focused on myself”, Fournier said.
The Knicks’ strategy is another thing he doesn’t understand. “I would be very surprised to be a Knick next year. They pay me 18 million, they have no interest in keeping me. If you want to trade me with a good return, why didn’t you use me? I was coming out of a season where I was the fourth-best 3-point shooter in the league. Why not take advantage of it? Now they won’t get anything interesting and that’s normal because I couldn’t show anything. I’m going to be traded, it’s not possible otherwise. Or I’d be stuck, and so would they. They have several players with big contracts coming in. Unless they want to pay a crazy luxury tax”, Fournier said.
