INDIANAPOLIS — Evan Fournier, the Knicks guard incomes $18 million this season, discovered a really city and economical approach to work.
“I just take my scooter,” he says.
The commute from Fournier’s residence to Madison Square Garden is just six minutes through electrical scooter, which eliminates the site visitors roulette of Midtown.
If the 6-foot-7 Fournier is acknowledged scooting on the road, he doesn’t understand. Headphones tune out the individuals and bustle.
The solely concern was parking at MSG, the place Knicks gamers are inclined to arrive with fancier modes of transportation.
“It took security a little bit of time to realize, ‘Okay, this is a player,’” Fournier says.
Off the courtroom or within the bike lane, Fournier is clearly very snug in New York City together with his spouse, son and canine. It reminds him of residence in Paris, the place the 29-year-old additionally will get round on a scooter.
Adjusting to basketball was a little bit harder. As the Knicks’ greatest signing of the 2021 summer time, Fournier, together with Kemba Walker, was purported to elevate the offense after the group’s shocking run to the East’s fourth seed.
Instead, the Knicks regressed. Walker was reduce from the rotation and despatched residence. Fournier was misplaced.
“I was struggling to find myself as a player,” he mentioned. “I used to be like, ‘How can I help the team?’ I’m struggling to actually discover my function inside the group to start out the season.
“That’s why I was so inconsistent. Because I was thinking about the offense and stuff, I played bad defense to start the year. That’s honestly a big mistake to make.”
Fournier finally found his function on the perimeter. He set the franchise file for 3-pointers in a season, eclipsing John Starks’ mark from 27 years prior. Only three NBA gamers — Steph Curry, Buddy Hield and Fred VanVleet — hit extra treys final season than Fournier. His protection picked up and the Knicks completed sturdy, though wanting the play-in match.
The entrance workplace then almost made a tough pivot to Donovan Mitchell with a commerce that may’ve probably despatched Fournier elsewhere. As these talks have been underway — with Knicks executives Brock Aller and Gersson Rosas among the many negotiators — Fournier was distracted by the Eurobasket match.
His group, France, misplaced the Sept. 18 ultimate to Spain, with Fournier ending the match because the French’s main scorer. The silver medal was tougher to swallow than the Olympics defeat final yr to the U.S.
“If [Kevin Durant’s] not there for Team USA, we’re gold medalists. We gave absolutely everything we had and you gotta live with it. It’s basketball,” Fournier mentioned. “This time it just felt like we didn’t play our best, and that’s the most frustrating part. So yeah, it’s like a dream that’s all of a sudden, it’s gone. It was very hard. Actually being here, coming back to America, was actually harder mentally than physically. Because you gotta go past that.”
With the Mitchell commerce negotiations fried, Fournier returned to New York City amid hypothesis that his beginning spot was misplaced to Quentin Grimes.
The logic was straightforward to comply with: Grimes is best defensively, which appears necessary for balancing the backcourt subsequent to offensive-minded Jalen Brunson. But Thibodeau gave the spot to Fournier with kudos.
“You tend to overlook he was elite shooting 3-pointers last year, I think he was fourth in 3-pointers made, 10th or 9th in transition 3-pointers made, and he started slowly,” Thibodeau mentioned. “I just think it’s a really good weapon to have. It is a different look with Quentin, but you need everybody. We’ll see how it unfolds. Evan has always read the game pretty well.”
In some ways, the criticism of Fournier final season was unfair. He largely performed to the requirements of his profession, even exceeding them within the ultimate three months. Other Knicks, particularly Julius Randle, fell off. A pair have been injured.
But Fournier’s hefty contract (4 years, $78 million) provides kilos to the stress and expectations. At least externally.
Fournier, nevertheless, says they’re non-factors towards his play. He has handled larger nervousness enjoying for France.
“There’s actually more pressure playing international, playing for your country,” Fournier says. It’s not 82 video games. If you’re within the quarterfinal, the semifinal, for those who lose, you’re going residence. And I really feel such as you’re undoubtedly enjoying for greater than your self. You’re enjoying for your loved ones, your entire nation, so many issues. And you’re enjoying with guys you’ve been with since youngsters. I don’t just like the phrase stress however there’s stronger emotions”.
In New York, the ‘feelings’ of residence are felt within the big-city setting as Fournier will get more and more snug within the blue uniform.
He’s taken to life within the scooter lane.
“I feel like I was at home since Day 1 because it has the same energy. New York and Paris,” Fournier mentioned.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com