Getty Julius Randle of the New York Knicks reacts to the loss with teammates Evan Fournier and Obi Toppin late in the fourth quarter against the Denver Nuggets.
The New York Knicks saw their season come to a bitter end Friday evening, as they were downed by a final score of 96-92 in Game 6 of their Eastern Conference Semifinals matchup against the Miami Heat.
With this, the organization now embarks on an offseason filled with numerous unknowns as the front office tries to make the proper adjustments to the club’s rotation to continue building off of their strong 2022-23 campaign.
Though at this point, it’s truly anyone’s guess when it comes to what New York’s decision-makers plan on trying to accomplish this summer, when speaking to reporters following Game 6, veteran forward Evan Fournier made a rather blunt prediction regarding his future with the franchise.
“My season was over a long time ago. It took me a good month to understand that…. Obviously, there are gonna be changes and I’m gonna get traded,” Evan Fournier said, as per SNY’s Ian Begley.
A candid Evan Fournier was asked after G6 about the season. He said, in part, “my season was over a long time ago. It took me a good month to understand that…. Obviously, there are gonna be changes and I’m gonna get traded.” Full story on Fournier’s thoughts on @SNYtv shortly.
After setting the franchise record for most 3-pointers made in a single season during his inaugural campaign with the Knicks in 2021-22, Evan Fournier was excommunicated from Tom Thibodeau’s rotation for all but 27 games in 2022-23.
Now, heading into the third season of his four-year, $73 million deal, it appears that the wing is certain that he’ll be suiting up with an entirely new franchise in 2023-24.
S.A.S Disses Knicks Decision to Avoid Evan Fournier
Despite not playing for a large chunk of the 2022-23 campaign, Stephen A. Smith seems to believe that Evan Fournier could have provided some help for New York during their postseason run.
Following the club’s Game 6 elimination to the Heat, the ESPN personality and lifelong Knicks fan recorded himself ranting about the club’s shortcomings and questioned the reasoning behind Tom Thibodeau’s decision to keep Fournier on the sidelines despite their evident need for long-range shooting improvements.
“Tom Thibodeau, the team can’t shoot but you only play Evan Fournier 27 games this season. Don’t give him a second of time in the playoffs,” Stephen A. Smith said.
Pain.
I want Dame.
The Knicks ranked 19 during the regular season and dipped to dead last in the postseason when it came to 3-point shooting, as they converted on just 35.4% and 29.2%, respectively, from beyond the arc.
Stephen A. Smith seems to believe that utilizing a guy like Evan Fournier more often within the rotation could have wound up benefiting them in this particular area of the game, and his career 37.9% 3-point shooting clip seems to only further strengthen this ideology.
Stephen A. Smith Pressuers Knicks to Trade Julius Randle
During his aforementioned social media rant, Stephen A. Smith would go on to criticize several members of the Knicks for their role in the club’s ultimate demise, though he easily had the harshest words for All-Star big man Julius Randle, as he went as far as to state that Leon Rose and company should look to trade him this coming summer.
“Season’s over. I guess in the end I always knew the New York Knicks would lose,” Stephen A. Smith said. “Jalen Brunson was spectacular [in Game 6]. 41 points. But he was the only one who showed up… Julius Randle [went] 3-for-14. Once again playoffs arrive and once again you fold. [I’m] done! It’s time to trade Julius Randle. It’s time for him to go.”
Julius Randle as the Knicks are eliminated in the Game 6 loss:
15 points
3-14 shooting
1-7 three
11 rebounds
2 blocks
3 turnovers
Smith would also go on to note that he wants to see the Knicks make a trade for superstar guard Damian Lillard during the offseason, and he doesn’t “care what you gotta do to get him.”
Fortunately for him, when it comes to this desired transaction one NBA GM already has informed Heavy on Sports’ NBA insider Sean Deveney that New York is “the most interesting” landing spot for the seven-time All-Star’s services.