11:26am: Fournier’s deal with Olympiacos covers two years and is worth more than $4MM, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
10:24am: Fournier has decided to accept the offer from Olympiacos and is finalizing a three-year contract, tweets Aris Barkas of Eurohoops.
9:03am: Olympiacos is among the European teams talking to longtime NBA guard Evan Fournier, according to Pantelis Diamantopoulos of Sport24.
With few NBA roster spots still available, Fournier has “started to ferment” the idea of returning to Europe, according to Diamantopoulos. A report late last week indicated that several clubs from Spain, Italy and France have either made formal offers or expressed interest in signing him.
Diamantopoulos states that Fournier wants to join a team with a legitimate shot at winning the EuroLeague and has already turned down Milan. Olympiacos reached the EuroLeague Final Four last season and upgraded its roster this summer with the addition of former Kings power forward Sasha Vezenkov.
Fournier is seeking a salary of two million Euros (roughly $2.2MM) from interested teams, which could present an obstacle to a deal with Olympiacos, reports Konstantinos Melagies of Gazzetta in Greece. Melagies adds that the “red and whites” already have a large roster in place, and coach George Bartzokas likes the players he has now. The team may have to give up additional money to part with any of its current contracts. However, Melagies believes that Olympiacos may be motivated to make another big move in hopes of winning a title while celebrating its 100th season.
After helping France capture a silver medal at the Olympics last month, Fournier and his agent approached NBA teams to see if there was any renewed interest, according to Melagies, but the effort was unsuccessful. He describes negotiations as “hot” and states that a resolution is expected within the next few days.
Fournier, 32, began last season with the Knicks but only appeared in three games before being traded to Detroit at the February deadline. He has previous experience in Europe, playing for JSF Nanterre and Poitiers Basket 86 in France before coming to the NBA, where he has spent the past 12 seasons.
Still making millions, as he should.
Agreed. Crazy how he got shafted. Dude won a game for the Knicks and in this defense-less league, his isn’t even that bad. Happy for Evan, always been a fan. Just was never used right or given a chance. Thibodeau didn’t play him after the Knicks signed him without a plan.
Right lol. It makes me laugh when people call him a bad defender when everyone doesn’t play defense.
And if you do play defense, you get in “foul trouble” so it discourages playing defense. The league should’ve did something when the entire Wolves team said how you can’t even try to guard Shai. Whistle!
Career earning of 145M.
He had some good years for sure. Not his fault the Knicks signed him and then just paid him to do nothing, which is questionably immoral in a world where people are starving and all kinds of other problems. Made no sense. They kept him for nearly the entire contract.
Vezenkov and Evan
Olympiacos is loaded by euro standards