Getty Evan Fournier, Boston Celtics
Ever since the Boston Celtics traded for Evan Fournier, the former Orlando Magic guard has struggled to be an impactful player.
During his time in Boston, Fournier averaged just 13 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game, despite starting 10 of the 16 regular-season games he appeared in. Things didn’t get much better for the Saint-Maurice native during the post-season either, as he was part of the squad that lost to the Brooklyn Nets in the first round.
Could the Knicks swing a big trade before the season begins? (via @_Verts) t.co/XN4woZoNhR
Fournier then decided to cut bait, leaving the Celtics to join the New York Knicks, as Leon Rose and William Wesley looked to inject a scoring punch into a roster that had defied the odds the previous season. However, Fournier’s Knicks tenure has not gotten off to a great start – sure his production has been solid, and his 38.9% three-point shooting is highly respectable – but he hasn’t been able to mesh with the system Tom Thibodeau likes to run.
As such, there’s a very real chance Fournier could find himself heading to a new team in the near future. In a September 8 article for SNY, David Vertsberger postulated a trade that would see the former Celtics guard heading to the team’s most hated rivals: The Los Angeles Lakers.
The proposed deal looks like this:
New York Knicks receive:
- Russell Westbrook
- Two future first-round picks
Los Angeles Lakers receive:
- Julius Randle
- Evan Fournier
While Fournier wasn’t with the Celtics organization long enough for the fanbase to command any form of loyalty from him, it would still hurt to see a recent member of the rotation heading to the West Coast to don the purple and gold – especially if the Lakers ended up having a successful season because of the trade.
Celtics Have Improved Their Roster This Summer
In a stacked Eastern Conference, it’s clear that if you choose to stand pat, your path toward success takes a significant blow. Throughout the summer, multiple teams throughout the East have improved their rotation – from the Cleveland Cavalier’s acquisition of Donovan Mitchell to the Knicks adding Jalen Brunson to their ranks – every team is making moves to position themselves for success.
Luckily, Brad Stevens understands the need for constant progression and moved to improve the Celtics roster earlier this summer – bringing in Malcolm Brogdon and Danilo Gallinari respectively. Of course, through an unfortunate turn of events, the latter will not participate in the upcoming season due to an ACL tear he sustained while playing internationally for Italy.
Now, it will be interesting to see if the Celtics dip their toes back into the free agency market to find a replacement for Gallinari, or whether Stevens and head coach Ime Udoka decide to double down on internal development by giving sophomore sharpshooter Sam Hauser a larger role.
Celtics Allowed Evan Fournier TPE to Expire
When the Knicks acquired Fournier, they did so via a sign-and-trade, with Boston also sending a 2023 second-round draft pick and 2022 second-round selection via the Charlotte Hornets in return for cash considerations. By not taking any salary back in the deal, the Celtics created a traded player exception worth $17.1 million dollars.
However, earlier this summer, Boston allowed that trade exception to expire – as they felt there wasn’t any available talent that would significantly improve their roster. Yet, in reality, Boston’s decision not to use their exception is probably due to their acquisition of Brogdon, whose salary of $22.5 million was slightly more than the value of the exception.
I’m told nothing good enough came along for the Celtics to use the Fournier TPE, and it will expire without being used
Still, seeing the Fournier TPE expire and then watching the player get traded to the Lakers would certainly be a gut punch to Celtics fans everywhere – but considering Boston is widely seen among the favorites to lift the Larry O’Brien trophy next season, they could very well end up having the last laugh.