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Former New York Knicks guard Evan Fournier returns to Madison Square Garden Monday night, February 26, with a new lease on life since his trade to the Detroit Pistons.
How he got here was filled with drama. But how he learned about it is pure comedy.
“I had no idea [I was finally getting traded],” Fournier told New York Daily News after the Pistons’ morning shootaround on Monday. “I was actually in the steam room and Josh [Hart] came in storming like, ‘Yo Ev!’ That’s how it happened.”
Fournier is making the most out of his new opportunity. Finally free from Tom Thibodeau‘s doghouse, the French guard is averaging 11.5 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.0 steals for the lottery-bound Pistons. Despite going winless in his first four outings with his new team, Fournier showed he’s far from done in the NBA.
“Bro, I’m 31, not 40,” he told New York Daily News. ” I’m in my best years, literally.”
Fournier is shooting 50% from the field and making 2.5 3s per game with a 47.4% accuracy in 21.5 minutes off the bench.
“I was hoping for a trade and it happened, so it worked out,” Fournier told the New York Daily News.
The 11-year NBA veteran is playing his best to earn his next contract. He has a $19 million team option for next season. While the Pistons have indicated they plan to keep him, per Hoopshype, they could opt to decline his option and re-negotiate a lower salary.
But if the Pistons pick up his team option, his expiring salary could become a trade chip for them.
Mixed Feelings About Doomed Knicks Stint
Fournier had mixed feelings about how his Knicks tenure ended.
“It was obviously one of the hardest times in my career but as a person, it was probably my best time,” he told the New York Daily News. “My second son was born here. We always wanted to live in New York, my wife and I, we did. We had the time of our life in the city. Playing at MSG every night was a privilege. And there’s moments that you’ll always cherish: that first game against Boston was special. Breaking the franchise record was special. I hand really high moments that I will never forget.”
Getting removed from the starting lineup and eventually yanked out of the rotation is certainly not one of them. But he claimed there is no extra motivation to show up against the Knicks in his first crack at them.
“I want to play well. At this point in my career, I truly don’t care [if I’m playing my former team],” he told the New York Daily News. “I feel like I’m being myself again. Help these young guys and grow. I actually never felt like that [having ill will towards an old team. I remember my first year when I was playing well against Boston, I never really cared to be honest.”
Knicks’ State After Trade
The Knicks are 1-4 since the trade.
Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks, the two veterans the Knicks received in the trade, have had scoring outbursts but they have not translated yet to sustained winning with three starters out with injuries.
Bogdanovic is averaging 14.0 points on 47.6% shooting from deep with 2.3 rebounds and 1.0 steals in his first four games with the Knicks. He had his signature game — a 22-point performance in the Knicks’ 110-96 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on February 22.
On the other hand, Burks had turned cold after a 22-point game in his first game back with the Knicks. He is averaging 10.8 points, 2.0 rebounds 33.3% and 34.5% from long distance. But over his last four games, Burks is a horrendous 27.5% from the field and 27.3% from the 3-point line.
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