It’s August 2023, and Evan Fournier is still on New York’s roster. In an offseason interview with French media outlet L’Equipe, the former starting shooting guard made it clear that he wants to be traded, but his trade value tanked this past season. He played in only 27 games.
Believe it or not, Fournier can still be valuable for a team if used in the correct role. He’ll turn 31 at the start of the 2023-24 season and is a career 37.9% three-point shooter.
The issue lies with the $18.9 million that he’s owed this upcoming season, but luckily, Fournier’s on an expiring contract as he has a $19 million club option for 2024-25. He wasn’t worth the four-year deal of up to $78 million he signed with the Knicks in 2021.
New York wasn’t willing to attach draft compensation to Fournier to get rid of him ahead of the 2023 trade deadline, and according to SNY’s Ian Begley, that’s still the case.
Fournier said that the FIBA World Cup will be his “launchpad,” regardless of how Knicks fans feel about him, that’s something the fanbase should be rooting for. The better he plays, the higher chance he’ll garner trade interest from opposing teams.
Fournier’s off to a great start in exhibition play for France, although he suffered a minor ankle sprain and missed the contest against Lithuania. He returned to action on Aug. 11.
at the 2023 FIBA World Cup</a>, but RJ Barrett and Evan Fournier are competing for their countries, too. Exhibition games have already started, but the real competition won’t begin until the end of August.</p>
<p>Off the court, Brunson and Hart are an easy source of entertainment, so the two of them playing for the national team for the first time together will bring many laughs. On the court, Brunson has been dubbed as a “natural leader” by Steve Kerr, and Hart will get to play in his first exhibition game this weekend after signing a <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2023/08/12/3-outcomes-knicks-fans-rooting-for-2023-fiba-world-cup-brunson-hart-barrett/3/"https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/38160627/josh-hart-agrees-4-year-81-million-extension-knicks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">four-year, $81 million extension</a> with the Knicks earlier this week.</p>
<p>As for Barrett and Fournier, New York fans are more excited to watch the former at the World Cup than the latter. However, there’s good reason to root for Fournier to perform well for France.</p>
<h2>3 Positive outcomes Knicks fans should be rooting for at 2023 World Cup</h2>
<h3>3: Good health</h3>
<p>New York has three key players competing in the World Cup, and although Evan Fournier is out of the rotation, it would be a disaster if he suffered a serious injury. If that were to happen, the Knicks’ chance of trading him would be shot.</p>
<p>Let’s take a look at Jamal Murray. His 2022-23 season ended in mid-June when the Nuggets won their first NBA title in franchise history, but he’s still on Team Canada’s roster. Murray has dealt with injuries in the past, so he’s playing it safe and missing Canada’s exhibition games so that he can focus on his offseason recovery.</p>
<p>Representing your country is a big deal, but it doesn’t come without risk. Since Josh Hart has signed his extension, no players on Team USA’s roster have to worry about missing time on the court because they’re due for a new contract. That’s good news for the United States as the team looks to avenge the seventh-place finish in the 2019 World Cup.</p>
<p>Injuries can happen at any time, whether it be during workouts, practices, or games. As fun as it’ll be to see Brunson, Hart, Barrett, and even Fournier back in action at the World Cup, the hope should be that no major injuries are sustained. The Knicks haven’t made any significant moves this summer but are entering a 2023-24 season that should end with a playoff berth for the second-straight year.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #007BC1" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://dailyknicks.com/2023/08/12/3-outcomes-knicks-fans-rooting-for-2023-fiba-world-cup-brunson-hart-barrett/3/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Continued progression </a>
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his trade value tanked</a> this past season. He played in only 27 games.</p>
<p>Believe it or not, Fournier can still be valuable for a team if used in the correct role. He’ll turn 31 at the start of the 2023-24 season and is a career 37.9% three-point shooter.</p>
<p>The issue lies with the $18.9 million that he’s owed this upcoming season, but luckily, Fournier’s on an expiring contract as he has a $19 million club option for 2024-25. He wasn’t worth the four-year deal of up to $78 million he signed with the Knicks in 2021.</p>
<p>New York wasn’t willing to attach draft compensation to Fournier to get rid of him ahead of the 2023 trade deadline, and according to SNY’s Ian Begley, that’s still the case.</p>
<p>Fournier said that the FIBA World Cup will be his “launchpad,” regardless of how Knicks fans feel about him, that’s something the fanbase should be rooting for. The better he plays, the higher chance he’ll garner trade interest from opposing teams.</p>
<p>Fournier’s off to a great start in exhibition play for France, although he suffered a minor ankle sprain and missed the contest against Lithuania. He returned to action on Aug. 11.</p>
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