Buried on bench, Evan Fournier still believes in himself
Evan Fournier did not play in the previous six games before coming in off the bench on Sunday against the Raptors in Toronto. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
TORONTO — Shortly after entering the Knicks’ game against the Raptors on Sunday, Evan Fournier put up a three-point field-goal attempt that fell far short of the rim.
It was hardly the sort of shot expected from a sniper who set a Knicks record for three-point field goals made last season, but the reality is that rust is growing on a player who still believes he’s in his prime.
Fournier has been buried on the bench by coach Tom Thibodeau, although not nearly as deep as Cam Reddish, who has not seen the floor since Dec. 3. Fournier had not appeared in the last six games when he got the call as the first guard off the bench Sunday with Immanuel Quickley sidelined by a sore left knee.
“Hard to assess,” Fournier said of his outing after playing 21 minutes and scoring eight points. “First shot went very short, obviously. When you don’t play like that, you can lose rhythm and stuff. You try to impact the game somehow. I definitely missed shots in the first half. I was trying to make the right play, just kick it to guys that are open. Nothing crazy. Could’ve been worse, could’ve been a lot better.
“There’s no pressure at all, actually. If Quick is back next game, I’m not playing. So try to help . . . There’s actually less pressure.”
Shaking the rust off is something that Fournier is confident he can accomplish. Getting the chance to do it with the Knicks, however, is different, something out of his control — as is his future with the Feb. 9 trade deadline approaching.
Fournier signed as a free agent with the Knicks in the summer of 2021 and has one more guaranteed year remaining on his contract. But like Reddish and maybe even Quickley, his future is uncertain.
“I’ve stopped paying attention to that, probably year five,” Fournier said. “You’ve heard this numerous times, we don’t control those things. I’m not going to waste time. I’m going to take my usual nap, and when I wake up — if my wife doesn’t wake me up — if I wake up [and I’m traded], it is what it is.’’
Asked directly if he’d like to be traded, he hesitated.
“Don’t ask me that question,” he said. “Best-case scenario, I want to stay here, I want to play here. I had a lot of different choices in free agency and I wanted to be a Knick. I love New York. I wanted to play for Thibs. So I’d love to stay, but I’d love to play.”
While the Knicks have been successful since Thibodeau shortened the rotation, the move to a more defensive-oriented lineup has put a red flag on Fournier that he believes is undeserved.
“I started very poorly [defensively] to start the year last year,” he said. “This year I’ve been playing good defense. So no, it’s just the way things are right now. Things are that Evan is not in the rotation, so it is what it is.’’
Understandably, Fournier believes he still has plenty to offer. With a need for shooters on many teams, there may be another franchise willing to buy into that.
“I’m 30. Nowadays it feels like I’m 35 because there’s not a lot of vets left,” Fournier said. “But I’m 30. I’m in the best shape of my career. I should be in my prime. I am in my prime. You want to play, for sure, especially as a competitor.
“It’s not like I forgot how to play. Last year I had a different role and somehow I was able to break a 30-year-old franchise record. So I am going to find a way to adapt to any situation.”
Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
