Evan Fournier‘s representatives are working to find a trade involving their client, a source tells Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News (Twitter link). As Bondy notes, the news is hardly surprising, given that Fournier spoke after the Knicks‘ season ended about his expectation that he wouldn’t be back with the team in 2023/24, despite being owed a guaranteed salary of $18.9MM.
Finding a taker for Fournier won’t be easy for his reps, given that the veteran wing doesn’t have positive trade value even though he’s on a pseudo-expiring contract (his deal includes a 2024/25 team option). The Knicks will almost certainly have to package him with more valuable assets to get anything worthwhile in return.
Here’s more on the Knicks:
- The Knicks and Clippers have been in touch about a possible Paul George trade, sources tell Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link). However, the star forward is unlikely to be moved, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, who says the Trail Blazers also expressed interest in building a deal around the No. 3 pick and George, and failed to gain any traction. The Clippers remain focused on building their roster around George and Kawhi Leonard, Fischer says.
- Begley believes that the Knicks and Obi Toppin‘s camp may work together to find him a new home this offseason, unless the team makes other moves that open up more regular minutes for the former lottery pick (Twitter video link).
- According to Fred Katz of The Athletic, Toppin and Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau had an “intense verbal altercation” following Game 4 of the club’s playoff series vs. Miami after the forward was held out of action for the entire second half. However, Katz clarifies that there doesn’t seem to be any lingering resentment related to that incident, and says the team didn’t show any interest in moving Toppin at the 2023 trade deadline. Katz also polled 15 executives about Toppin’s potential value on a rookie scale extension — 10 of those respondents suggested an annual salary between $10-15MM.
- Several “influential” people within the Knicks organization are fans of swingman Donte DiVincenzo, who is expected to reach unrestricted free agency this offseason, per Begley.
- Knicks guard Miles McBride has generated some interest from rival teams, according to Begley, who adds that McBride’s minimum-salary team option for 2023/24 looks like a lock to be exercised with or without a trade.
Based on Knicks fans’ evaluations, Toppin is about to be traded for Jokic & Murray
No, that’s Randle. He apparently sucks but has historic value relative to his production anyway? Somehow?
Based on your assumptions. You are anasssssssssssssssssssuption ….
Always admired the Knicks but the Knicks and Clipps don’t match up in a trade. Knicks don’t have the pieces for a franchise piece in George.
PG isn’t *that* good, at least not anymore. And his injury problems drive down his value regardless. Still a great player, but I think calling him a “franchise piece” is hyperbole. Though I agree that the Knicks can’t really put together a good package without weakening their roster too much.
Knicks could trade Randle, Fournier, and Miles McBride and make the money work for PG. An overpaid PF moved to open up minutes for Toppin. They wanna trade Fournier anyway. And McBride is a sought after young guard. Throw in some picks/swaps and it’d work
Fournier+Grimes to Wizards for Shamet+Gallinari+Muscala?
With Muscala getting salary-dumped for cash considerations.
Why would the Knicks do that?
The Knicks aren’t desperate enough to unload Fournier that they’d trade their starting SG for two bums and an old/injured Gallo.
Fournier, Toppin, and future pick for ? They need a all star type SF. The Knicks guy says DeRozan. Someone like that would be good. Draft a young PF or C.
Waiting for a hater to throw hate my way. Where are you?
With what pick? No picks in the first.
Great idea
Knicks would be a winner if trade for Paul George, any deal
RJ and Fournier for George?
Trade winner Knicks
Clippers laugh and hang up midsentence.
PG13 isn’t any kind of elite asset at this stage of his career. The odds of him ever holding up for a full season again are low, and he’s a diminished product even when he plays. The POR FO should be fired if they even discussed #3 for PG13. Likewise for the Knicks’ FO if anything beyond Randle and Fournier were discussed.
That’s too far the other way, tbh. Is PG not a franchise player anymore? Yeah. Is he still really freaking good? Also yeah. He’s a better player than anyone on the Knicks except maybe Brunson right now. PG played 56 games last season. That’s still fine as long as he’s available for the playoffs. Especially for a team as deep as the Knicks. If you had a crystal ball and could tell for certain he’d be out come playoff time, sure. His value would take a hit. But acting like he’s Brandon Roy or Bill Walton in terms of injuries is just silly. With the Knicks depth, they could easily have him play 28-30 minutes a game and keep himself from wearing down. Honestly, I could see him working out in NY.
@Eon – Yes, PG13 is still freakin good WHEN he plays. Wake up and look at his games played over the last 4 years, and the trend line, and his contract. That trend line almost never reverses, it accelerates, as a guy moves into his mid-30’s. Also, understand that he’s either a rental or a guy you’re willing to pay over 250 mm for his age 34-38 seasons. Acquiring that privilege for a price more than Randle (and filler, due to PG13 making almost twice as much) would be silly. Also stupid and reckless.
Maybe, maybe not. At least the LAC would have an All NBA PF that actually plays and is entering his prime (vs leaving it and always hurt), and is signed for 3 more years at HALF of PG13’s salary.
Either way, it would certainly make no sense for the NYK to take on his contract except as a rental. If the LAC have any sense, they’ll view him that way as well. But feel free to lock in his 65-70 mm salary for his age 37 season.
…Absolutely nobody was suggesting that they lock in PG for the long haul. Nothing suggests that. Where did you get that from?
@EonADS – Then he’s a rental. It’s one or the other. Are you suggesting a rental of PG13? And you think an All NBA PF is too little for it? You follow the league, you must realize that rentals rarely play hurt. Do you gamble on long shots a lot?
Randle is so overrated. He’s not good defensively, he slows down the offense a lot and isolates too much, and he’s bad in the playoffs; his shooting efficiency drops by like ten percentage points from everywhere and yet he keeps pressing and trying to score even when other players would be bettter options. He’s also a surly, stubborn mule who is known to not get along with his teammates. 1x All-NBA, sure. Fine. He has a high ceiling. But he’s not anywhere close to that level on a consistent basis. And he wasn’t last year.
Paul George is a player with equivalent or better offense to Randle, less of a bad attitude, and far superior defense. You can’t take Randle’s best and Paul George’s worst and compare them. Asking the Clippers to also take on Fournier’s contract in that scenario isn’t fair value. At least, I don’t think they would think so.
In terms of fit, Randle is also not as good of a fit for the Clippers, as he’s a worse shooter than PG and doesn’t play off the ball as well. He’s going to stand in the driving lanes more frequently than George whose movement is superior both with and without the ball. He’s a better option for both the Knicks and Clippers than Randle.
Yes, his injury history is a concern. I’m aware of it. And of course it’s a risk. But he’s not going to be playing with the same usage, position, or overreliance that the Clippers play him with. The Knicks would play his as more of a guard-forward than the Clips, who play him as a combo forward and expect him to smash into guys constantly. Why they’re doing that with a guy who has injury problems escapes me, but I’m not the Clippers. Fewer minutes, less physical position, and more reliance on playing off-ball rather than creating for himself, and he’ll be less likely to get injured. The Knicks don’t need him to be the best player on the court like the Clips often do, they just need him to play at his usual level.
If I were the Knicks, I would take those odds to add a true co-star for Brunson, with the potential to add more using their young guys as either trade packages or by banking on their development, since they’re all at least decent (even Barrett is a good defender). But I don’t think the Clippers would be willing to try and awkwardly fit Randle into their team, no matter how good at mix-and-matching Ty Lue is. They would want more for one of their two best players.
OK. You’re making a point I’m not disputing. I probably would trade Randle to rent PG13. Fournier is just required to match, LAC would have no reason to reject his expiring deal vs any other.
FYI, you’re off on facts and evaluation on Randle. He’s a 2x (not a 1x) NBA player. He is absolutely NOT a poor defender (maybe his 2k rating hasn’t been adjusted). He’s no PG13 on that end, granted, but he’s top 10 at a tough position (PF) and one of the better rebounders in the league.
PG13’s injury chances aren’t going to change with the NYK. As far as Randle’s locker room presence, he’s apart from the culture, not damaging toward it, and the NYK have a great locker room in spite of him. A guy coming in with load management requirements would damage it. Particularly when it didn’t help him with the LAC.
Disagree with the last part entirely, so we’ll just have to hold different opinions there.
As for Randle being a bad defender, he doesn’t get blocks, doesn’t get steals, doesn’t force turnovers, and opponents with him as the closest defender shoot better than average from the three point line, 3 feet, 10 feet, and fifteen+ feet according to the NBA’s tracking data. Maybe he’s absurdly good in the restricted area and as a team defender, but I don’t see it. His rebounding is great, but it’s the only facet of defense where he appears to be above average. And I don’t even play 2k, so I wouldn’t know.
Don’t know how he was all NBA this year, as he didn’t deserve it imo. All Star yes, top 15 player in the league no. And you aren’t disputing that it’s a feasible trade, I am disputing that LA would accept it. Fournier being an expiring contract doesn’t really matter outside of salary matching; LA would want a better secondary asset.
Knicks have zero reason to entertain any risk
The more and more other teams deplete there asset bases the better the Knicks get – Sit idle till next trade deadline, the current contenders asset bases are so depleted
This just isn’t the spot for them to jump in
PG is the type of player the Knicks need, but the Clips aren’t moving him nor does him alone make the Knicks a championship contender. Bad fit for both teams.
I do like the idea of White Dante for the Knicks. Hart and Grimes are really the only two multi positional and positive defenders on this team. Neither are ball handlers though, which comes with Dante. I don’t know what his value is though, is it more than the MLE?
NYK are loaded (overloaded) with multi-position perimeter defenders. It’s the biggest strength of their perimeter group. Quickley, Barrett and McBride derive most of their value from it. Only Brunson is weak in that area. What the NYK lack on the perimeter is floor spacing. Any add on the perimeter will emphasize 3 pt shooting (like Grimes, not Hart).
Dante might be good fit though, and I think he could probably be had somewhere between the two MLE levels, which we can do. PT will be the issue on his end.
Fournier Toppin Robinson and 2 firsts for Myles Turner and Buddy Hield
Pacers would report and submit the Knicks front office for drug testing.
Toppin trade is overdue. Thibs stubbornness is going to work against him. Toppin would be a steal for a team …
I’m telling you if we trade toppin he is going to hurt us.. I like him and believe he should stay and run with the second unit. The guy works extremely hard and has gotten better also he likes being a knick. Also we can make the right trade wo giving up a core peice