The NBA is an unforgiving league. One minute your cock of the walk, the next a feather duster.
It is extremely fast to fall out of favour, no matter how talented and athletically gifted you are. It is highly unlikely a player can carve out a career as long as the likes of LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant have.
That is why we must appreciate the hoopers, who have carved out a niche in their careers despite not being stars, and yet have stayed in the league for more than a decade.
One player who SBOTOP NBA fans won’t be seeing in the league anytime soon is former Orlando Magic and New York Knicks shooting guard Evan Fournier.
Turning 32 next month, the NBA 2024 odds are high on the chance that Fournier may have played his last NBA game.
Heyday in Orlando
If you are an avid NBA fan—well, an Orlando Magic fan, that is—then you probably have vivid memories of Evan Fournier lighting up the Amway Centre back when he spent his prime years in Florida.
The 6-foot-6 shooter is known for being a knockdown scorer on the perimeter and from the three-point area. And although he may not be someone who will jump out of the building, he is strong and athletic enough to finish in the paint due to his craftiness.
Drafted by the Denver Nuggets back in 2012, Fournier spent two years in the Mile High City before being traded down south in Orlando. He was unable to do much as a young player with the Nuggets, averaging 5.3 points and 8.4 points over two seasons.
To his luck, the trade to the Magic was perfect for him. Under Jacque Vaughn—and even Scott Skiles, the following year—Orlando were young and rebuilding. A player like Fournier suits their needs.
Fournier significantly improved in his third season, finishing the year with 12 points, two rebounds and two assists on 48/37/72 shooting splits.
After that season, Fournier would have the time of his life, averaging at least 15 points a game for seven consecutive seasons.
He helped the Magic return to the playoffs in 2019 and 2020, where he averaged 18.5 points on 52/39/81 splits whilst having 1.1 steals a game.
The following year was yet another productive one for the French swingman.
Despite playing only 26 games for Orlando because of the NBA’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols, Fournier averaged 19.7 points—his career best for a single season.
He got traded to the Boston Celtics before the season ended, where he had 13 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists whilst shooting 46.3 percent from deep.
Overall, Fournier played 42 games that year and averaged 17.1 points whilst shooting a career-high 2.8 three-pointers a game (41.3 per cent).
Resurgence and downfall in New York
There was plenty of promise when Fournier arrived in Madison Square Garden via a sign-and-trade deal with Boston.
He just had a stellar year at the Tokyo Olympics, leading France with 18.7 points en route to a silver medal finish—the country’s first medal since 2000.
Fournier played 80 games in his stint with the Knicks—his most since the 2018/19 season—and would average 14.1 points per game.
Highlights of his debut in the Big Apple include setting a franchise record for most three-point shots made with 241 (now broken by Donte DiVincenzo), and burning the Boston Celtics with 41 points (10 three-pointers) before RJ Barrett’s game-winning three for a 108-105 comeback win.
He was replaced by Quentin Grimes in the rotation, and the ship had seemingly sailed away on his NBA stint.
A trade to the Detroit Pistons was thought to jumpstart his career, but nothing worth noting materialised in the end.
Thankfully, the international stage was kind to him once more, and he was able to be one of the focal points for France in the Paris Olympics, as Les Bleus took a second consecutive silver medal.
He finished the tournament with 9.8 points and 2.2 assists.
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