Getty Evan Fournier #13, New York Knicks
Evan Fournier is entering the second season of a four-year, $73 million contract he signed with the New York Knicks in 2021. 13 games into the season, Fournier is averaging 6.9 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.7 assists while shooting 34.4 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from three. Fournier will be paid $18 million by the Knicks during the 2022-23 season.
Fournier’s play stood out in a bad way when the Knicks played the Oklahoma City Thunder on November 13, in which he put up two assists and one steal but nothing else in 20 minutes. The Twitter account KnicksMuse made note of this, though they got the numbers wrong.
Evan Fournier today
0 Points (0-5 FG)
2 Rebounds
0 Assists
0 Steals
0 Blocks
Played more minutes than Obi Toppin and Quentin Grimes
Fournier, who played for the Boston Celtics in 2021, had his performance torn to shreds by Knicks fans.
Fans also praised the Celtics for not paying Fournier the contract that the Knicks did.
Fournier had a pretty short stint with the Celtics when he was traded to them in 2021. Fournier played only 16 regular season games and five playoff games before they were eliminated by the Brooklyn Nets in the first round. They received a $17.1 million trade exception when they signed and traded Fournier to the Knicks, which they did not use.
Fournier’s Performances Against the Celtics Last Season
Fournier put on some of the best scoring performances of his career against the Celtics during the 2021-22 season. On opening night, Fournier put up 32 points on 13-for-25 shooting from the field, which played a hand in the Knicks beating the Celtics in overtime.
The 32 points Fournier put up that night tied his career-high at the time. Fournier then put up 32 points on 13-for-24 shooting from the field in the next matchup between the Knicks and the Celtics, although the Knicks would go on to lose to the Celtics 114-107.
In their third matchup, Fournier put up a new career-high against the Celtics, scoring 41 points on 15-for-25 shooting from the field, which helped the Knicks come back from 25 down to beat the Celtics 108-105.
According to StatMuse, those three performances scoring-wise against the Celtics were three of Fournier’s five highest-scoring outings of his career, as he put up two 32-point performances during his days with the Orlando Magic. Fournier also had one 30-point performance against the Celtics in the eight years he played for the Magic.
Fournier did not play in the last game between the Knicks and the Celtics on January 8. The Celtics went on to win that game 99-75.
Fournier’s Performance Against the Celtics This Season
The Celtics had their first matchup against the Knicks on November 5. Not only did the Celtics go on to win 133-118, but Fournier was not able to keep up the same production he was consistently putting up against them last season.
Fournier not only came off the bench, but in 11 minutes, he put up three points on one three-point field goal while putting up one steal, one assist, and one rebound to go with two turnovers. Fournier also had a plus/minus of minus-19, which was the second-lowest among Knicks, ahead of only Obi Toppin.
The scoring average Fournier is putting up this season – 6.9 – is his lowest scoring average since his rookie year with the Denver Nuggets.