Getty Head coach Tom Thibodeau of the New York Knicks speaks with players during the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Over the last few games, fans have witnessed the New York Knicks tinker with their once-solidified lineup to find the best-fitting and most complimentary unit.
Perhaps the biggest alteration made during this span has been the demotion of wing Evan Fournier from starting shooting guard to low-usage reserve and while this shift alone may be enough for some, others believe that the next step should be to cut ties with the veteran altogether.
In a November 6 piece penned by Bleacher Report, writer Greg Swartz discussed what he believes each team should look to do if the trade deadline were scheduled for “tomorrow” and, with his writing, he stated that the best course of action for the Knicks would be for the franchise to simply “dump Evan Fournier.”
“When the 30-year-old wing is on the floor, New York has a net rating of minus-9.6 (13th percentile). When Fournier is out of the game, however, this rating jumps to plus-10.2 (86th percentile),” Swartz wrote.
“That’s a huge swing for the Knicks, who should look at starting Quentin Grimes or even Cam Reddish in his place instead. New York isn’t going to get anything of value in return for Fournier, but simply removing him from the team could produce positive results immediately.”
Through nine games played in 2022-23, Fournier finds himself posting averages of 8.8 points and 2.4 rebounds per game, his lowest turnouts since his sophomore and rookie campaigns, respectively.
Since his removal from the starting lineup, the sharpshooter has seen his minutes drop drastically from 24.4 to 12.6 and is sporting lackluster averages of 2.5 points and 1.5 rebounds.
Knicks Guard Opens Up on Benching
After inking a $73 million deal to join the Knicks last offseason, Fournier went on to start in 80 games (second highest total of his career) and put up impressive averages of 14.1 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.1 assists on 38.9% shooting from distance.
With his productivity, heading into year two of his four-year contract, head coach Tom Thibodeau made it known that the 30-year-old was the frontrunner to take the starting two position once again.
However, after seven games and four losses, the seasoned head man opted to look for a change and went on to cast Quentin Grimes in the role which, be it a direct result or not, New York went on to pull off a mesmerizing victory on the road against the heavily favored Philadelphia 76ers.
After their November 4 win, Fournier addressed his role shift within the rotation during a media session and implied that he’s going to try and take the shakeup in stride.
“It is what it is. I’m in Year 11. So I know a lot of things can happen,” Fournier said. “So I’m going to do the best with what I have, try to impact winning and be a good teammate. That’s all you can ask for. Just do my best. Be a pro and take it from there…By doing your job.
“Nothing really changes for the approach of the game. You have the same approach. You have to do the best with what’s given. That’s it.”
Since being relegated to a bench role the Knicks have gone 1-1 and have seen both Grimes and Cam Reddish serve as the team’s starting shooting guard.
Knicks Could Swap Fournier for Buddy Hield
Even before Evan Fournier’s demotion, fans and media pundits alike were voicing their beliefs that the New York Knicks should strongly consider moving on from the veteran entirely, with Fastbreak’s Ben Stinar going as far as to suggest a trade idea involving the France native heading to Indiana in exchange for offensive savant Buddy Hield.
“I think they should make a trade that would improve their shooting from deep and also help them solidify themselves as a playoff team this season. Buddy Hield is currently on the Indiana Pacers, who are in rebuilding mode, and he is off to a sensational start to the new season.” Stinar wrote.
“The Pacers are off to a 3-5 start to the season, and are expected to be among the worst teams in the league. Hield is almost 30 years old and is making over $20 million this season (and over $18 million the following season). There is no need for him on the Pacers.
“Meanwhile, the Knicks have Evan Fournier, who is making $18 million this season (and over $18.8 million next season), and multiple upcoming first-round picks. Therefore, the salaries of Fournier would almost match up perfectly, and the Pacers could get draft picks from the Knicks out of a hypothetical deal.”
As Stinar said, Hield is off to a tremendous start to the 2022-23 campaign, as he finds himself boasting stellar averages of 18.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.7 assists on 47.7% shooting from the floor and 42.5% shooting from deep.