Now sitting at an even .500, the season could go in many ways. The team has picked up some recent injuries and although most of them appear to be short-term, it’s been a rude reminder of how grueling a full season of NBA basketball can be. You need to be prepared for the worst.
The trade market to this point has seemed like a lot of smoke and mirrors. Of the biggest names that have surfaced: Bradley Beal and Zach LaVine – there hasn’t appeared to be any validity to the fact that they are even being made available.
The Knicks can be buyers or sellers, and although I think keeping tabs on star players is something the team will continue to do, I think the Knicks will want to mostly stick to their guns. The team is already playing competitive basketball ahead of schedule while having a surplus of draft picks. If the team wants to elevate their level of winning while also maintaining their most meaningful future assets, a trade for Evan Fournier makes a lot of sense.
NY Knicks</a> are heading into the halfway point of the season and trade rumors have surrounded the team. It seems like the Knicks are always inundated by trade talks around the deadline, but this season it feels like the stakes are higher – It’s a season where the team is in the middle of a competitive playoff race while simultaneously holding onto a lot of valuable assets.</p>
<p>Now sitting at an even .500, the season could go in many ways. The team has picked up some recent injuries and although most of them appear to be short-term, it’s been a rude reminder of how grueling a full season of NBA basketball can be. You need to be prepared for the worst.</p>
<p>The trade market to this point has seemed like a lot of smoke and mirrors. Of the biggest names that have surfaced: Bradley Beal and Zach LaVine – there hasn’t appeared to be any validity to the fact that they are even being made available.</p>
<p>The Knicks can be buyers or sellers, and although I think keeping tabs on star players is something the team will continue to do, I think the Knicks will want to mostly stick to their guns. The team is already playing competitive basketball ahead of schedule while having a surplus of draft picks. If the team wants to elevate their level of winning while also maintaining their most meaningful future assets, a trade for Evan Fournier makes a lot of sense.</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/2021/03/04/evan-fournier-trade-perfect-nyknick/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> The Cost </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-113824 size-full" src=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/03/04/evan-fournier-trade-perfect-nyknick/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2160,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fdailyknicks.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1198732518.jpeg" alt="NY Knicks" width="3200" height="2160" srcset="https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1198732518.jpeg 3200w, https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1198732518-768x518.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Kevin Knox, Knicks (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>NY Knicks Trade: Kevin Knox, Reggie Bullock, 2021 2nd Round Pick (From Detroit) | Orlando Magic Trade: Evan Fournier</h2>
<p>The Orlando Magic are now 14th in the Eastern Conference and I think out of any of the current bottom dwellers, they have the most desirable players that have a strong chance of being made available for trade.</p>
<p>Looking at what it might take to acquire Fournier, I think the draft capital involved would be in the pick 20-40 range. The 28-year old Fournier will be a free agent this offseason. The Frenchman has spent his entire career with the Orlando Magic, and it seems like a perfect opportunity to set him free.</p>
<p>The Magic may have finished 8th in the Eastern Conference last year, but unfortunately, things just haven’t gone their way this season. The team hasn’t been able to stay healthy and is missing two key young players in Markelle Fultz and Jonathan Isaac. They haven’t been able to stay afloat, and it’s a very real possibility they’ll want to finally unload some of their long-tenured starters: Fournier, Vucevic, and Gordon, in order to reposition themselves for next season and beyond.</p>
<p>For the Knicks, I don’t believe giving up Bullock, Knox, and next year’s 2nd round pick hurts them all too much for the future. Knox, while he may still potential, has been buried on the team’s depth chart, and a mutual split with the Knicks feels inevitable.</p>
<p>The Detroit Pistons’ 2nd round pick certainly has solid value. I think if the Knicks didn’t have two first-round picks, they would hold this one in higher regard. With Bullock, while he has provided the Knicks with strong defense and occasional shooting – His impact is minimal.</p>
<p>For the NY Knicks, they’re trading an established 3rd-year player who isn’t getting playing time (Knox), a veteran role player (Bullock), and a draft pick who probably won’t be relevant with the team for years (Hard to imagine 3 draft picks getting significant playing time right off the bat) for a stud scorer in his prime in Evan Fournier.</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/2021/03/04/evan-fournier-trade-perfect-nyknick/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> What Fournier Would Bring </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-115865 size-full" src=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/03/04/evan-fournier-trade-perfect-nyknick/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fdailyknicks.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1231227652.jpeg" alt="Knicks" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1231227652.jpeg 3200w, https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1231227652-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Evan Fournier, Knicks. (Photo by Alex Menendez/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>NY Knicks: Fournier can bring the offense back to life</h2>
<p>On the year, Fournier is averaging 18.5 points per game on 45% from the field and 37% from 3. Those numbers have been consistent with Fournier’s past few seasons in the league. At 6’7, Fournier can operate as either a shooting guard or a small forward.</p>
<p>Fournier has a versatile offensive skill set. He’s a consistent scorer who can knock down shots from anywhere on the floor. As a secondary option, he can put a ton of pressure on opposing defenses. Fournier can both create his own offense and operate as an elite catch-and-shoot option.</p>
<div class="embed ">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">🍾 𝙈𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙜𝙣𝙚, <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/03/04/evan-fournier-trade-perfect-nyknick/"https://twitter.com/EvanFourmizz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>@EvanFourmizz 🍾</p>
<p>Evan Fournier fired off 18 first-half points. <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/03/04/evan-fournier-trade-perfect-nyknick/"https://t.co/KoJfiebj6O">pic.twitter.com/KoJfiebj6O
<p>— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/03/04/evan-fournier-trade-perfect-nyknick/"https://twitter.com/OrlandoMagic/status/1366555045727252481?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>March 2, 2021</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/03/04/evan-fournier-trade-perfect-nyknick/"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></div>
<p>Fournier runs about <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/03/04/evan-fournier-trade-perfect-nyknick/"https://www.nba.com/stats/players/ball-handler/#!?sort=TEAM_ABBREVIATION&dir=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">5.4 pick and rolls per game</a> as a ball-handler – He ranks in the 68th percentile in terms of pick-and-roll scoring efficiency. Fournier is a slasher with some point guard skills. It’s a lot for opposing defenses to account for.</p>
<p>Fournier’s game is one that can pretty seamlessly fit in with just about any offense in the league. He can shoulder heavy scoring and playmaking responsibilities if needed, but he can also be tremendously efficient off-ball. He can easily slide into a variety of roles.</p>
<p>I think what makes Fournier stand out from some other SG/SF scorers on the trade market (Kelly Oubre, Terrence Ross, Norman Powell) is the ball-handling and playmaking for his teammates. It’s a dimension to his game that makes his net impact on an offense that much more significant. The ball doesn’t die in his hands.</p>
<p>From Cleaning The Glass: Fournier’s assist-to-usage-rate ratio ranks in the <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/03/04/evan-fournier-trade-perfect-nyknick/"https://cleaningtheglass.com/stats/player/1176#tab-offensive_overview" target="_blank" rel="noopener">74th percentile</a> among wings. What this tells us is how often Fournier got an assist given how often he had the ball. His awareness with the ball in his hands is an extra layer of responsibility that puts added stress on defenders. He can take over games.</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/2021/03/04/evan-fournier-trade-perfect-nyknick/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Fournier's fit with the Knicks </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-115869 size-full" src=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/03/04/evan-fournier-trade-perfect-nyknick/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fdailyknicks.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1303505545.jpeg" alt="NY Knicks" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1303505545.jpeg 3200w, https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1303505545-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Evan Fournier, Knicks (Photo by Alex Menendez/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>NY Knicks: Evan Fournier can take the offense to another level</h2>
<p>The Knicks have had some long stretches of basketball this season where their <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/03/04/evan-fournier-trade-perfect-nyknick/"https://dailyknicks.com/2021/02/23/knicks-fall-warriors-offense-looks-lifeless/">offense can be difficult to watch</a>. Those stretches can be for 5 minutes, sometimes they’re for an entire half, and sometimes they last over the course of multiple games. The team’s defense is one of the most consistent in the league, but the offense is often their downfall.</p>
<p>Fournier fits the NY Knicks and their needs in so many ways. He would slide right into Bullock’s starting role. Bullock has been serviceable, but his game just doesn’t have the impact that Fournier’s does. Bullock can hit open shots, but he can’t create on his own or for his teammates – The ball frequently dies in his hands.</p>
<p>The Knicks depth at wing isn’t strong. Imagine the lineup combinations Thibodeau could use with Fournier: Mixing and matching with the different guards, Randle, and Barrett. The Knicks would have a variety of different points-of-attack on offense. They’d have players at every level who can play-make, shoot, and attack the rim.</p>
<p>We’ve seen some injuries begin to pile up, and Fournier’s ability to step into a big role would be invaluable. When someone like Rose or Barrett misses a game, the Knicks would now have another player who can help run the offense.</p>
<p>Even more specifically to Thibodeau’s system with the NY Knicks – Fournier’s game is suited for the half-court offense. The Knicks are a slow-paced team, and it plays to Fournier’s strengths. Using stats from Cleaning The Glass again, Fournier ranks in the<a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/03/04/evan-fournier-trade-perfect-nyknick/"https://cleaningtheglass.com/stats/player/1176#tab-shooting_accuracy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> 94th percentile</a> in mid-range field goal percentage for wings.</p>
<p>The mid-range, while it has a bad reputation nowadays, plays a big part in the Knicks’ half-court offense. Randle, Barrett, Rose, and Quickley all utilize the in-between game, and Fournier would fit right in alongside them.</p>
<p>Fournier’s last two seasons have been his best in the NBA. At 28 years old, he certainly has some prime years left. His player profile and style of basketball also seem sustainable to maintain at a high level.</p>
<p>Would Fournier just be a 1-year rental? Maybe. It’s definitely a risk to trade for someone on an expiring contract. With that said, I think Fournier is a perfect player for the Knicks to go after. His ideal fit on the wing and the high-caliber offense could take this team to even greater heights this season, and the Knicks wouldn’t have to give up a tremendous chunk of assets to acquire him.</p>
<div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="dark" data-text="Knicks: Armed with draft capital, how will they spend it?" data-url="https://dailyknicks.com/2021/03/03/knicks-armed-draft-capital-how-spend-it/" data-call-to-action="Next"> <div class="story-link-next"> <a class="story-link-next-btn" style="background: #007BC1" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="story-link-next-shortcode" href=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/03/04/evan-fournier-trade-perfect-nyknick/"https://dailyknicks.com/2021/03/03/knicks-armed-draft-capital-how-spend-it/"> <span class="call_to_action">Next:</span> Knicks: Armed with draft capital, how will they spend it? </a> </div>
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