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The New York Knicks reportedly won’t trade Evan Fournier just to shed salary ahead of February’s deadline.
“The Knicks are not interested in shedding salary going forward,” ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said on his podcast. “They’ll do business, but I think there’s been a concept that they might, like, attach a pick to get off of Evan Fournier or something like that. But to my understanding that’s not true. I think they would trade Evan Fournier—I mean he’s not playing for them right now, of course they would trade him. But I don’t think they feel any sort of desperation to clear cap space.”
Fournier has been featured in trade rumors in the early going this season, and Shams Charania of The Athletic reported Monday he could be a target for the Los Angeles Lakers.
The 30-year-old is making $18 million in base salary this season and is in line to make $18.9 million next season and $19 million in 2024-25 if his club option is exercised.
Still, a trade could help New York net some assets for someone who has fallen out of head coach Tom Thibodeau’s rotation.
Fournier hasn’t appeared in a contest since a Nov. 13 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder and is in a similar position to Cam Reddish, who has also fallen out of the rotation and been the subject of some trade speculation.
The former is averaging 6.9 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 20 minutes per game. Prior to this season, he’s averaged 14.3 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game.
Fournier has played for the Denver Nuggets, Orlando Magic, Boston Celtics and Knicks throughout his career since entering the league in the 2012 NBA draft and averaged double-figure scoring totals in each of the last eight campaigns.
He is a career 38.0 percent shooter from deep and could help a contender looking for outside shooting if he is eventually traded. But the Knicks apparently won’t complete such a move for the sole purpose of shedding his salary.
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