Former New York Knicks guard Evan Fournier got his wish as he was traded to the Detroit Pistons ahead of the NBA Trade Deadline. The 31-year-old has been in the league since 2012-13 and spent 2.5 seasons with the Knicks. It didn’t go as planned for most of it, playing in just 32 games throughout the last year and a half. Fournier played in 80 games and averaged 29.5 minutes during his first season in 2021-22.
He was viewed as a potential buyout option for teams around the league, but according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Pistons are expected to keep him.
“Evan Fournier, who was excited to be traded by New York and eager for his new opportunity in Detroit, has played 25 minutes per game in his two games since joining the Pistons. While some around the league wondered if Fournier could hit the free agent market after landing with a rebuilding Detroit team, the Pistons have indicated they plan to keep the Frenchman, HoopsHype has learned.”
In his first two games with the Pistons, Fournier has averaged 11.5 points in 25 minutes.
Fournier Didn’t Want to Play for the Knicks
Fournier made it as obvious as he could that he didn’t want to play for the New York Knicks. His non-existent role was a major factor in him not wanting to be here, which is well-warranted as he’s been a contributor for every other team throughout his career.
When he was traded, he expressed his excitement about landing with a new team, according to Mike Curtis of The Detroit News.
“I’m really excited to finally be out of New York, so looking forward to a new opportunity.”
New #Pistons guard Evan Fournier says he’s really excited to be out of New York and he’s looking forward to a new opportunity.
Fournier lands with a team that’s arguably the worst in basketball. They’re 8-46, holding the worst record in basketball this season. The Knicks finished 33-22 heading into the All-Star break and proved to be a team that had a chance to contend. However, Fournier seems to want a chance to play rather than a chance to win.
The Writing Was on the Wall
As the relationship continued, it was clear that Fournier didn’t want to be here. He even admitted that he wanted to leave as he wanted the opportunity to play.
Fournier had the following to say about his New York Knicks situation, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News.
“I’m still in New York at the moment. I want to leave. But beyond leaving, I want to have the opportunity to get some playing time back. That’s all. That’s mostly it. Because in New York, I feel extremely good. I love living there, I love the franchise, I love playing at Madison [Square Garden], I love the guys on the team. So I just want to play, that’s all. It’s true that finding another club, changing franchises, if that’s what you have to do to play again, that’s what I would like to do.”
He gets his wish and will now have an opportunity to show that he still belongs in the NBA after hardly playing for nearly two seasons.
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Former New York Knicks Guard Not Expected to Be Buyout Option