Evan Fournier

In August of 2021, Fournier agreed to a hefty four-year, $78 million contract with the Knicks. This occurred after an eventful 2020-21 season which started in Orlando, paused in Boston after a trade-deadline move and ended with a strong Olympic run with Team France. Fournier was cruising through another typically productive season with the Magic and was on pace to set a new career-high in points per game (19.7) before he was dealt to Boston. With the Celtics, the shooting guard appeared in only 16 of 28 regular season games due to COVID-19 protocols. The Knicks entered the off-season with tons of cap space and a need to add backcourt scoring. With the additions of Fournier and Kemba Walker, New York seemingly has cured that issue. Expect Fournier to play north of 30 minutes per game, as coach Tom Thibodeau loves to give his starters extended run. The 29-year-old should receive plenty of catch-and-shoot opportunities with Walker and Julius Randle controlling most of the ball-handling. When Walker sits (he missed 45 out of 144 games over the last two seasons), Fournier will battle veteran Derrick Rose and third-year guard RJ Barrett as the second scoring option after Randle. The Frenchman will also look to build off of last year's three-point shooting, when he hit a career-high 2.8 threes per game and shot a career-best 41.3 percent from behind the arc. The risk with Fournier will be Thibodeau's patience with the shooting guard's mediocre defense, though he did grab 1.1 steals per game last year. Presumably, Fournier's ability to spread the floor on the offensive end will more than make up for his defensive woes.

Fournier had a strong 2019-20 campaign in what was arguably the best season of his career. In 31.5 minutes, he averaged 18.5 points, 3.2 assists, 2.6 threes, 2.6 rebounds and 1.1 steals. He also shot 46.7 percent from the field, 39.9 percent from three and 81.8 percent from the free-throw line. That led to his best per-game fantasy ranking (63) of his career, and just his third time inside the top 100. During the 2020 offseason Fournier exercised his $17 million player option, so he'll be back with the Magic for his seventh season with the team. Fournier's role in 2020-21 should be nearly identical to his role last season, so aside from some normal variance, we should expect him to put up roughly the same numbers.

Fournier finished last season with a slight decline in production from 2017-18. He averaged 15.1 points, 3.6 assists and 3.2 rebounds while canning 1.9 threes per game. He remained a fairly productive scorer, but his efficiency took a hit, shooting just 43.8 percent from the floor and 34.0 percent from three. There were signs of encouragement, however, especially with Fournier's health. He appeared in 81 games last season after missing 66 games in the prior four seasons combined. He also averaged 31.5 minutes and logged at least that many minutes for the fourth consecutive season. Fournier faces no real competition for playing time at shooting guard and should be in line for another starting role and 30-plus minutes per night. He's a backend draft choice in standard formats with a safe scoring floor but limited upside.

The 25-year-old continues to be a consistent scoring presence for the Magic when he’s on the court, but health also continues to be a concern. Over the past four seasons, Fournier is averaging 65.5 games played. Last year marked his second straight campaign averaging at least 17 points (17.8), doing so while shooting 45.9 percent from the field and drilling 2.2 threes per tilt at 37.9 percent. His free-throw percentage (86.7) was a career high. Any supplementary stats Fournier accumulates are a bonus, as he averaged just 3.2 rebounds and 2.9 assists. Heading into this season, Fournier’s role of 30-plus minutes should be safe, as the Magic didn't add any significant wing depth over the summer. Though there’s not much to indicate Fournier is ready to take a significant step in his development, he’s still relatively young and is coming off the best season of his career.

Fournier will be entering his sixth year in the league despite being just 24-years-old. He’s seen his workload and production increase each year, topping off last season at 17.2 points, 3.1 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.0 steal across 32.9 minutes per game. He also shot 43.9 percent from the field while drilling 1.9 threes per contest at a 35.6 percent rate. While not a highly efficient scorer, Fournier was the Magic’s leading scorer last year – a role generally coveted in Fantasy. His inefficiency may have been due in part to nursing foot/heel injuries for a significant chunk of the season, which caused him to miss 14 outings. For example, during the 2015-16 season when he played 79 games, he was much more efficient, hitting 46.2 percent of his shots from the field and knocking down 2.0 threes per game at a 40.0 percent clip. Though he won’t rack up much value from supplementary statistics, Fournier’s seemingly safe workload and generally improving production indicates that he’s probably a solid player to target in the majority of Fantasy formats heading into the 2017-18 season. While the Magic added some wing depth in the offseason, there aren’t any glaring targets in line to usurp Fournier’s role.

After producing double-digit scoring outings in 13 of his first 14 games last season, including six performances of 20 points or more, Fournier emerged as a popular early-season waiver pickup. The Frenchman would eventually lose a little steam from his hot start, but once things stabilized by season’s end, Fournier had turned himself into a mainstay in the starting five. He wound up averaging 15.4 points (on 46.2% shooting), 2.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 2.0 three-pointers and 1.2 steals in 32.5 minutes per game and was made a priority in free agency, with the Magic re-signing him to a five-year, $85 million contract. The 23-year-old’s most important contribution was his prowess from distance, an area they may need him to make even more of an impact in 2016-17. With the Magic’s projected starters at point guard (Elfrid Payton) and small forward (Aaron Gordon) offering limited ability from three-point range, the onus will fall on Fournier to knock down shots from the perimeter to provide the offense with more spacing. Fournier doesn’t typically create much noise in the defensive categories, but the limited amount of high-end shooting guards in the league makes him a valuable fantasy commodity for what he does as a scorer and three-point shooter.

In his first season with the Magic, Fournier started 28 of the first 29 games on account of Victor Oladipo's facial fracture. The Frenchman remained in the starting lineup until late December when former coach Jacque Vaughn unshackled rookie Elfrid Payton. Fournier experienced the most injury-riddled season of his three-year career, missing 21 of the final 23 games due to a sore right hip. During 58 games, Fournier compiled 12.0 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.7 steals, and 1.5 three-pointers in 29 minutes per game. At his introductory press conference, new coach Scott Skiles included Fournier as a key piece in the guard rotation. However, that was before the Magic drafted Mario Hezonja and signed C.J. Watson, two capable wing players. Entering the final year of his rookie deal, the 6-foot-7 guard is eligible for a 2016-17 contract extension. Though, he doesn't expect to receive one, noting that such extensions are reserved for the league's stars. Fournier earned a spot on the French National Team and is competing during the FIBA tournament for the second straight offseason.

Evan Fournier begins his third NBA season with his second team. During his second season, the 21-year-old Frenchman averaged 8.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.4 steals, and 0.1 blocks in 20 minutes per game through 76 games played. He shot 42 percent from the field on 7.2 attempts and 76 percent from the line on 1.6 attempts. Fournier built upon his rookie season, tallying career-highs in almost every category. He converted 38 percent of his three-pointers and joins the Magic with the second most three-pointers from last season, behind Channing Frye. The main haul in the Arron Afflalo trade is set on expanding his offensive role in the wake of Jameer Nelson's exit. While Fournier was a diligent spot-up shooter with the Denver Nuggets, he expects to play more on the ball and initiate the offense at times. This expanded role has yet to be put on display during France's nine FIBA exhibition matches, as Fournier has been relegated to his prescribed role as off-ball floor spacer. The 6-6 wing is in the conversation for opening day starter as he looks to replicate a poor man's Manu Ginobili.

The second-year pro from France is looking to make a big jump this year. While Randy Foye currently has the inside track to the starting shooting guard job, Fournier will be given every opportunity to wrestle it away. Do not be surprised if Fournier is starting and taking the bulk of the shooting guard minutes by the end of the season.

He can shoot, but he’s got a lot to learn about the NBA game and needs time to put some meat on his frail 6-6, 200lb frame. Expect him in the D-League or back overseas by camp end.