Likelihood of Knicks not trading Evan Fournier grows as deadline approaches
Two weeks are remaining until the trade deadline and based on the latest report, the odds of Evan Fournier staying with the New York Knicks have grown. There’s always the chance that teams will become increasingly desperate as Feb. 9 draws nearer, but taking on Fournier’s contract is what has held teams back from being interested in a trade thus far.
According to The Athletic’s Fred Katz (subscription required), New York has tried to pair Cam Reddish with Fournier in a potential deal, but nothing’s come of it. The Knicks reportedly don’t want to attach a first-round pick to Fournier and with there being no teams interested in taking both him and Reddish together, the 30-year-old guard might be spending the remainder of the season in NYC.
Fournier has been pushed out of the rotation by Tom Thibodeau, but he does receive playing time when the Knicks are dealing with an injury. He played against Toronto on Sunday for the first time in two weeks in place of an injured Immanuel Quickley, who returned to the court on Tuesday in the win over Cleveland. Fournier was out against the Cavaliers due to the birth of his second child.
After Sunday’s game, Fournier said that he’d like to stay and play in New York. He emphasized that he chose the Knicks over other teams as a free agent a couple of years ago because he wanted to be in New York. His wish of staying with the Knicks could end up coming true, but barring any sudden changes (such as an injury), Fournier likely won’t be able to get his spot in the rotation back.
Knicks reportedly receiving no traction on Evan Fournier, Cam Reddish trade
Cam Reddish has been labeled as the likeliest Knicks player to be traded ahead of the deadline with teams such as the Bucks, Heat, and Mavericks expressing interest in him. He’ll be a restricted free agent over the summer, and as Katz noted, his qualifying offer will be in the $7 million range. Because he’s racked up nearly 30 DNPs, his value has shot down.
As for Fournier, the value he provides certainly doesn’t match his contract. He could be traded during the offseason as he’ll be on an expiring contract with the 2023-24 season being his final one under contract. Fournier has a $19 million team option in 2024-25.
As mentioned with the deadline creeping closer, a playoff team could get desperate enough to try to work out a deal to get Fournier as a shooter off the bench. Even then, his numbers are concerning as he’s shot 31% from three on an average of 4.4 attempts in 20 games. In 2021-22 when Fournier was a starter, he shot 38.9% from three on an average of 7.7 attempts. He snapped New York’s single-season record for made three-pointers in a season, but that hasn’t been enough for the Knicks to keep him in the rotation.
New York could (and should) add a shooter ahead of the deadline, which would push Fournier even further down the bench if he isn’t traded. A lot can happen in the next 14 days, meaning that the Knicks could offload Fournier, but it seems likelier that won’t happen. Never say never, though.
