Evan Fournier

Atlantic Notes: Fournier, Grimes, Robinson, Celtics, Melton

November 16th, 2022 at 11:21am CST by Luke Adams

The Knicks used just nine players on Tuesday for the first time this season, removing Evan Fournier and Quentin Grimes from their rotation entirely, says Zach Braziller of The New York Post. The trimmed-down rotation was effective, as the team picked up a nice road win in Utah, beating the Jazz 118-111.

“We wanted to see what it would look like and it gave us, I thought, better rhythm,” head coach Tom Thibodeau said. “That’s why we did it.”

Fournier’s role has gradually diminished over the course of the season, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if he doesn’t get another shot at regular minutes right away. However, Grimes is considered a key part of the Knicks’ future and seems unlikely to be out of the rotation on a permanent basis.

Here are a few more items from around the Atlantic Division:

Thibodeau said on Tuesday that Knicks center Mitchell Robinson is “making good progress” in his recovery from a sprained right knee, but it remains unclear when he’ll be cleared to return, Braziller writes for The New York Post. According to Braziller, although Robinson is doing some work in practices, he’s not yet taking contact.
In the latest episode of his Hoop Collective podcast, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said that people around the NBA think Spurs center Jakob Poeltl may be a trade target that appeals to the Celtics, given the uncertainty surrounding Robert Williams‘ health. “The question is, ‘Does this team need to go out and get another big man who can defend?'” Windhorst said, per RealGM. “The name that has come up that people have speculated has been Jakob Poeltl from the Spurs. They did a deal with the Spurs last year, obviously, for Derrick White.” Poeltl is eligible for unrestricted free agency in 2023 and it’s unclear if San Antonio views him as part of the team’s long-term plan.
While his arrival in the offseason was somewhat overshadowed by James Harden‘s pay cut and the signing of P.J. Tucker, De’Anthony Melton has proved invaluable to the Sixers due to his versatility and defensive ability, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer.

New York Notes: Fournier, Knicks, Players-Only Dinner, Nets Injuries

November 15th, 2022 at 7:26pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Evan Fournier struggled in a starting role and has been even worse coming off the bench, Peter Botte of the New York Post notes. The Knicks shooting guard has missed all 10 of his shot attempts in the last two games and he has scored just 16 points in six games as a reserve.

“The thing is when you only shoot three times a game … it adds up. It adds up. And at the end of the season, you look at your [shooting] percentage and it’s not good,” Fournier said. “But it’s just hard to find a rhythm right now. I think not knowing the rotation, what’s coming your way, et cetera, et cetera. I have to do a better job of all that and just being in the moment, being ready for whatever.”

Fournier’s four-year, $73MM contract has turned into an albatross. He’s in the second year of the deal, though the club holds an option on the final year.

We have more on the New York teams:

The defensive breakdowns the Knicks displayed while giving up 145 points to Oklahoma City on Sunday could be due to a number of factors, writes Mark W. Sanchez of the New York Post (subscription required). A potential solution could be a coaching change and Tom Thibodeau is rumored to be on the hot seat. Rotation changes, or perhaps a blockbuster trade, could alternatively turn the team’s fortunes, Sanchez adds.
Could the Knicks have solved their problems over dinner? Julius Randle organized a players-only dinner in Utah on Monday as the team began a road trip, Zach Brazilier of the New York Post reports. “It was good, good to have a team dinner like that,” RJ Barrett said. “Try to figure this out the best that we can. We all care, trying to get this going on the right track.”
Injuries to Seth Curry, T.J. Warren and Ben Simmons, plus the ongoing suspension of Kyrie Irving, have forced the Nets to go deeper into their bench and alter their rotations, according to Ethan Sears of the New York Post. “It just puts us straight on everyone else,” head coach Jacque Vaughn said. “We put David Duke in, Patty [Mills] earlier, Markieff [Morris] earlier in our normal rotation. … It puts a strain on us when we are not completely whole, for sure.”

Knicks Notes: Barrett, Brunson, Grimes, Robinson, Fournier

November 14th, 2022 at 10:00am CST by Arthur Hill

As the Knicks were being torched for 145 points by the Thunder Sunday afternoon, two players they heavily invested in this summer were kept on the bench for most of the second half, writes Mark W. Sanchez of The New York Post.

RJ Barrett, who signed a four-year extension in September, picked up his fourth foul about two minutes into the half and never returned. Jalen Brunson, the team’s top target in free agency, checked out with 4:46 left in the third quarter and spent the rest of the game on the bench. Both players said they accepted the decision by coach Tom Thibodeau.

“I think it’s time (to sit) when you’re fouling enough,” Barrett said. “It falls on me for sure because I was guarding Shai (Gilgeous-Alexander), and he got me into some foul trouble. And that’s not good. I got to do a better job of not fouling.”

“I wouldn’t have played myself either, the way I was playing defensively,” Brunson added.

Immanuel Quickley and Cam Reddish sparked a late rally that ultimately fell short, and they played most of the fourth quarter alongside Julius Randle, Evan Fournier and Jericho Sims.

“We just got behind by so much,” Thibodeau explained when asked about Barrett’s benching. “We were looking for life, and that group that was in there gave us a little bit of a spark, and so that’s what we went with.”

There’s more from New York:

Quentin Grimes logged just eight minutes Sunday in his third game since returning from soreness in his left foot, Sanchez notes in the same story. Thibodeau has called Grimes a “situational” player for now because the injury forced him to miss so much time since the start of training camp.
Mitchell Robinson has begun on-court workouts as he recovers from a sprained knee, but hasn’t resumed contact drills, Sanchez adds.
Being removed from the starting lineup hasn’t helped Fournier with his shooting slump, per Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. Fournier misfired on all five of his shots from the field Sunday and has made just 6-of-31 over his last seven games. “I’m not gonna lie; I’m getting stiff on the bench now because I’m a little bit older. My knees can’t take it anymore,” Fournier joked. “But yeah, it’s not an excuse at all. I just have to figure it out myself so I can help the team. That’s all I can say, really.”

Knicks Notes: Grimes, Fournier, Rose

November 10th, 2022 at 7:11pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

After feeling some foot soreness following the Knicks‘ 106-104 win over the Sixers last Friday, starting shooting guard Quentin Grimes was rested for the team’s subsequent two contests out of an abundance of caution, per Fred Katz of The Athletic (Twitter link). As Katz tweets, New York head coach Tom Thibodeau indicates that Grimes was a full participant in the club’s team practice on Thursday with no restrictions.

Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News reports (via Twitter) that Grimes had two MRIs on the sore foot — he’s not suffering from plantar fasciitis and doesn’t require surgery.

There’s more out of New York:

Knicks reserve shooting guard Evan Fournier has yet to play more than 14 minutes in a game since being moved to a bench role. Zach Brazilier of The New York Post suggests that Fournier may be in jeopardy of losing out on any rotation minutes due to his unproductive efforts as a backup. Thibodeau spoke diplomatically about Fournier, emphasizing his openness to the role reduction. “Some guys are on the outside of the rotation, but those things change really quickly,” Thibodeau said. “Whatever role you’re asked to play, star in that role. Embrace the role. Put the team first. I think we have a number of guys that have done that.”
Fournier is not the only Knicks veteran dealing with slashed run time. Injury-prone reserve combo guard Derrick Rose has also seen his on-court time reduced. Rose weighed in to the media recently on the shift, Bondy tweets. “I’m letting everybody be, man,” Rose said. “The last guy [Thibodeau] wants to hear from is the guy who has been in the league for 15 years going in and complaining and bitching.” Rose hasn’t played more than 18 minutes for New York all season. “I’m in the unknown,” Rose added about his current role with the club, per Steve Popper of Newsday (Twitter link). Through 11 games, the 34-year-old is averaging career lows of 12.7 MPG and 6.0 PPG, with .382/.355/1.000 shooting splits.

Atlantic Notes: Siakam, VanVleet, Fournier, Reddish, Sixers

November 5th, 2022 at 10:38am CST by Luke Adams

The injury bug that first afflicted the Raptors‘ All-Star point guard is now affecting their All-NBA forward as well. As Dave Feschuk of The Toronto Star details, Pascal Siakam left Friday’s loss to Dallas in the third quarter due to a strained groin and didn’t return to the game. Toronto was already missing Fred VanVleet, who was sidelined for a third straight game due to lower back soreness.

While the Raptors have yet to issue an update on the severity of Siakam’s injury, they’re optimistic that VanVleet’s absence won’t last much longer.

“We had practice (Thursday), he went through full practice. I thought he’d probably be going tonight,” Raptors head coach Nick Nurse said before Friday’s game. “I’m expecting him back pretty soon.”

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

Knicks veteran wing Evan Fournier was displaced from the starting lineup on Friday and played a season-low 14 minutes, but he’s taking it in a stride, says Peter Botte of The New York Post. “We see it every year,” Fournier said of the lineup shake-up. “Last year with Kemba (Walker). So I’m going to do the best with what I have, try to impact winning and be a good teammate. That’s all you can ask for. Just do my best. Be a pro and take it from there…By doing your job.”
Quentin Grimes‘ ascension to the starting lineup didn’t affect Cam Reddish‘s role. As Zach Braziller of The New York Post writes, Reddish – who is in a contract year – scored 11 points on 4-of-4 shooting in 15 minutes and was a plus-19 in a two-point win over Philadelphia. “He was very good,” head coach Tom Thibodeau said. “Overall hustle, length, running the floor, moving without the ball, a lot of good plays.”
Rich Hofmann of The Athletic and Tim Bontemps of ESPN both consider what the new few weeks in Philadelphia will look like with Sixers star James Harden sidelined due to a foot injury. The club was also missing Joel Embiid on Friday, as the star center missed a third consecutive game due to a non-COVID illness.
In case you missed it, we rounded up several Nets-related items earlier this morning.

Knicks Notes: Grimes, Fournier, Robinson, Toppin, Randle

November 4th, 2022 at 11:08pm CST by Rory Maher

Head coach Tom Thibodeau didn’t sound like he was in a rush to make a change to the starting lineup after the Knicks lost their third straight game on Wednesday to the Hawks, writes Zach Braziller of The New York Post.

“We’ll see how it unfolds,” Thibodeau said, when asked how much of a sample size is needed before considering a change. “So, you wanna make sure that you get a good look at everything.”

However, Fred Katz of The Athletic wrote prior to Friday’s 106-104 victory over Philadelphia that it would likely just be a matter of time before a change was made given Evan Fournier‘s defensive struggles and poor on/off numbers, and that turned out to be the case, with Quentin Grimes inserted as the starting shooting guard. Fournier wasn’t Grimes’ initial replacement either, as Immanuel Quickley was the first player off the bench.

Here’s more on the Knicks:

Grimes is still working his way back into game shape after making his regular season debut in garbage time on Wednesday. Thibodeau said he was unlikely to have a big role prior to Friday’s game, Braziller notes in a separate story. “He’s situational right now,” Thibodeau said on Thursday. “But we’ll take a look at it.” Even though he did end up starting, Thibodeau’s statement still held true, as Grimes only played 15 minutes.
Starting center Mitchell Robinson left Friday’s game during the first half and was unable to return, with the team announcing (via Twitter) that he was dealing with a sore right knee. It’s unclear at this time how serious his injury might be.
One beneficiary of Robinson’s absence was third-year forward Obi Toppin. Thibodeau has been hesitant to use him alongside Julius Randle, preferring a more traditional center with rim protection, but the Sixers were without Joel Embiid and had a small lineup themselves, so Thibodeau used the pairing in the fourth-quarter comeback to great results, according to Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News (subscriber link). As Bondy notes, Toppin scored 13 of his 17 points in the fourth. “That’s one of the first times [I saw the Toppin-Randle frontcourt],” said point guard Jalen Brunson. “I found it worked.“

Knicks Notes: Reddish, Toppin, Barrett, SG, Barrett

September 29th, 2022 at 2:27pm CST by Rory Maher

Knicks wing Cam Reddish says he didn’t request a trade this offseason, according to Fred Katz of The Athletic (Twitter links), who points out that Marc Berman of The New York Post didn’t actually report that Reddish requested a trade, only that the 23-year-old preferred a change of scenery and a chance for a “bigger opportunity.”

That might seem like semantics, but there’s definitely a distinction between formally requesting a trade and what a player’s preference might be. Reddish only appeared in 15 games for the Knicks after they traded for him last season, averaging just 14.3 minutes per contest. When asked if the Knicks have made it clear what he needs to do to receive regular playing time, Reddish admits he isn’t sure.

“I’m still figuring that out. That’s actually a really good question,” Reddish said, per Ethan Sears of The New York Post. “I’m still figuring that out, trying to find my role where I fit in. I’m really willing to do whatever it takes to win. Whatever that role is, whatever it may be, that’s fine with me. We’re winning, we all look good.”

Considering his lack of a clear rotation role, Reddish was then asked if he wanted to stay with the Knicks, but gave a non-answer.

“I control what I can control,” he said. “So minutes and all that stuff have nothing to do with me. I just come in and do my job. Work as hard as I can every single day. I’m available, I’m healthy. So whatever happens, happens.”

For his part, head coach Tom Thibodeau was noncommittal about Reddish’s role, as Ian Begley of SNY.tv relays.

“The players are going to earn what they get. We have good depth (at wing). I can’t tell you right now who’s in the rotation, who’s not in the rotation,” Thibodeau said on Wednesday when asked if he thinks Reddish will be in the rotation this season. “That’ll be earned. And then if someone’s not in the rotation initially, doesn’t mean that they stay there.”

If he doesn’t receive a rookie scale extension before next month’s deadline, Reddish will be a restricted free agent in 2023 if the Knicks issue a qualifying offer.

Here’s more on the Knicks:

Third-year forward Obi Toppin spent the offseason working on his jump shot and defense, Sears writes in another article for The New York Post. Toppin says he feels better about his perimeter defense heading into 2022/23. “Guarding guards like Jalen [Brunson], for instance, in pickup games here or guarding guards like Coby White in L.A. … helped me a lot,” Toppin said. “I feel like even if I can’t get down low, I have to find a way to stay in front of them, still contest their shots and make it hard for them to do things. I feel like I worked on that this summer and I’m a lot better now.”
Thibodeau didn’t sound enthusiastic about having Toppin and Julius Randle share the frontcourt at times, Begley notes. The Knicks will “take a look” at the pairing during preseason, according to Thibodeau, who says the duo hasn’t been effective in practices over the past two years. As Begley observes, if Toppin and Randle don’t play much together, an increase in Toppin’s minutes will likely have to come at Randle’s expense — Randle has averaged 36.4 minutes per night over the past two seasons.
Zach Braziller of The New York Post (members-only link) explores the pros and cons of who should start at shooting guard between Evan Fournier and Quentin Grimes. Braziller ultimately concludes that Grimes is the better fit due to his defense and upside, though he understands why Thibodeau values Fournier’s outside shooting and experience. Thibodeau considers Fournier the frontrunner for the job. Both players sat out today’s practice, per Begley (Twitter links). Grimes is considered day-to-day with left foot soreness, while Fournier has soreness after competing at EuroBasket. Neither issue is considered major.
RJ Barrett showcased his ability get into the paint last season, but he needs to improve his finishing to take his game to the next level, Katz writes for The Athletic. Out of 44 qualifying players who took five-plus shots at the rim in ’21/22, Barrett ranked last in field goal percentage, Katz notes. According to DunksAndThrees.com, Barrett shot just 52% at the rim last season, which ranked in the ninth percentile of all players.

Knicks Notes: Brunson, Randle, D. Rose, Fournier

September 27th, 2022 at 12:55pm CST by Arthur Hill

Jalen Brunson landed a four-year, $104MM contract with the Knicks this summer, but he didn’t enjoy the free agency experience, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. Brunson was among the top free agents in this year’s market and the rumors that he was headed to New York started before last season was over, but all the attention made him uncomfortable.

“Free agency was kind of awful, how public it got,” Brunson said at Media Day. “Not going to lie to you. For me, I’m a very simple person. I loved the opportunity to come back east, in a familiar area where I grew up, somewhat close. I’m just really excited for this opportunity with these guys. I think we can do something special.”

Reports that Brunson was joining the Knicks emerged before free agency officially opened on June 30, resulting in an NBA investigation of the team for possible tampering. Brunson said he hasn’t been contacted by the league, but he contends that “a lot of things” about his situation were misreported.

“My reaction to the league investigating? I didn’t really have one,” he said. “Nothing really to investigate.”

There’s more from New York:

Coming off a difficult season, Julius Randle spent some time away from the game this summer to recalibrate, Bondy adds in the same piece. He lost weight during the offseason and reported to camp with a fresh outlook. “When it’s good, it’s easy to be a leader,” Randle said. “When things aren’t as good and you’re going through adversity, I think it’s even more important. So, I learned a lot.”
Also noticeably lighter was Derrick Rose, who dropped about 20 pounds in response to a challenge from head coach Tom Thibodeau, Bondy states in a separate story. Rose also explained the complications that prevented him from returning after undergoing ankle surgery in mid-December and responded to a statement from team president Leon Rose, who called him the “heart and soul” of the group that reached the playoffs in 2020/21. “I wouldn’t say I was the heart and soul, but I wanted to win. I can say that,” Derrick Rose said. “I think what this year’s all about is accountability. Like being able to not get in your feelings or taking it personal when somebody comes over and gives you constructive criticism. As a man and as a professional, you’re supposed to understand that.”
Thibodeau named Evan Fournier as the frontrunner to start at shooting guard heading into camp, tweets Ian Begley of SNY.tv. “With Jalen, with RJ (Barrett), with Julius we need shooting (at the two),” Thibodeau explained.

Atlantic Notes: Grimes, Toppin, Celtics, Warren

September 21st, 2022 at 8:18pm CST by Arthur Hill

Second-year guard Quentin Grimes could replace Evan Fournier in the Knicks‘ starting lineup, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv. When New York signed Jalen Brunson this summer, there were concerns that he and Fournier might not provide enough defense as a backcourt combination.

Begley states that starting Grimes as the shooting guard and having Fournier come off the bench was among several scenarios discussed by Knicks management this summer. Another option the team considered is moving RJ Barrett into the backcourt and giving Cam Reddish a chance to start at small forward.

Although Fournier would be an expensive reserve, Begley doesn’t believe New York should try to trade him. Begley notes that the Knicks need all the shooters they can get, which is why they signed Svi Mykhailiuk earlier this week.

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Members of the Knicks‘ coaching staff believe Obi Toppin could see an increased role, Begley adds in the same piece. Toppin showed progress during his second NBA season and could become a starter if New York finds a taker for Julius Randle.
Despite some speculation to the contrary, Jay King of the Athletic hears that the Celtics don’t plan to reach out to a veteran big man to help replace Robert Williams (Twitter link). Sources tell King that the roster spot that formerly belonged to Bruno Caboclo will likely go to another young center or power forward. Williams will undergo arthroscopic surgery and is projected to miss four to six weeks.
Surgeries for both Williams and Danilo Gallinari have been scheduled for Thursday, tweets Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens called Williams’ injury “short term.”
T.J. Warren could be the Nets‘ leading scorer off the bench if he can overcome the foot problems that have plagued him for the past two seasons, Alex Schiffer of The Athletic writes in an overview of Brooklyn’s roster. Warren averaged 19.8 points per game and shot 40.3% from three-point range during his last healthy season. Schiffer believes the team is strong everywhere but center, and he points to Dwight Howard as a potential low-cost addition who could provide experience in the middle.

Atlantic Notes: Knicks, Raptors, Celtics, Sumner

September 8th, 2022 at 8:19pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Knicks are hoping to rebound from a disappointing 2021/22 NBA season, with a $104MM new lead guard on the roster in Jalen Brunson. Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News assesses the club’s roster, projecting starters and the likely first names off the bench.

Bondy also notes that, in terms of potential future deals, 2019 lottery pick Cam Reddish, acquired in a midseason trade with the Hawks, seems to want to move on. “It’s clear Cam has no place there,” a source close to the 6’8″ small forward told the Daily News. Bondy writes that the big question mark in the team’s starting lineup is at the shooting guard position, where the battle for suiting up as Brunson’s new backcourt mate looks to be between Evan Fournier and Quentin Grimes.

There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

Following a return to the playoffs in 2021/22, the Raptors will be looking to build off their 48-34 season. Eric Koreen of The Athletic identifies paths to improvement for Toronto, including All-NBA forward Pascal Siakam‘s pull-up three-pointers, second-year forward Scottie Barnes‘s defense on the wing, and swingman OG Anunoby‘s scoring in isolation.
The Celtics returned to the NBA Finals for the first time in 12 years last season. Jared Weiss of The Athletic examines ways in which head coach Ime Udoka could look to preserve the health of injury-prone starting center Robert Williams and 36-year-old starting power forward Al Horford, including giving more minutes to reserve Luke Kornet.
New Nets wing Edmond Sumner has cleared an injury recovery hurdle, he announced in a tweet. The nature of the step Sumner took was not clarified. “Hit a big milestone today!” Sumner wrote in part. “Been patiently waiting to get up and down. Been grinding and trusting this process not rushing it.” Sumner signed with Brooklyn on a veteran’s minimum deal this offseason, after missing all of 2021/22 with a torn left Achilles tendon.

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