Could Evan Fournier Help the New York Knicks' Shooting Issues?

Early struggles from the floor make the New York Knicks' continued banishment of Evan Fournier all the more confusing.

Evan Fournier routinely occupies one of the most sought-after seats at Madison Square Garden ... and he's getting paid to sit there.

Fournier's metropolitan exile has been renewed for a second season: as it stands, the French-born sharpshooter is the only non-two-way player on the New York Knicks' roster who has yet to take the floor over the first five games of the 2023-24 season. It's not like there haven't been any opportunities to get him in, as head coach Tom Thibodeau has emptied the bench twice (Saturday's loss in New Orleans, Tuesday's win in Cleveland). Fournier, however, has seen nary a minute.  

By now, Fournier's story needs little introduction to Knicks fans: Thursday's off day marked the one-year anniversary of his most recent (and presumably final) appearance in the team's starting five before he slowly drifted out of the New York rotation in favor of 2021 first-round pick Quentin Grimes. 

It's not like Fournier didn't see this coming: from the minute the Knicks' 2022-23 season ended, he told anyone who would listen about how he'd be shocked if the Knicks kept him. With the Knicks having failed to find a trade partner, Fournier is once again reduced to Spike Lee status, wearing Knicks paraphernalia every night with apparently no shot of checking in. 

Is that the right thing to do considering the Knicks' ongoing offensive struggles? 

Fournier's impact resides on the payroll rather than the box score these days, as he's due over $18 million this season before a club option closes out the contract inked in a sign-and-trade with Boston in 2021. Going purely by last season, Thibodeau still found himself justified by Fournier's exit. 

The Knicks went 41-28 once Fournier was removed from the ironclad nine-man rotation (re-inserted only in case of injury emergency). Fournier was never known for his defense (perhaps bringing further questions about his fit in a Thibodeau system) but he brought the necessary outside prowess to survive in the modern Association. Management, however, found new men to do his job. 

Fournier launches a three during a 2021 game / Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

Julius Randle (218) probably would've broken Fournier's single-season record for most successful triples. Immanuel Quickley was right behind at 157 off the bench while Grimes and Jalen Brunson also broke the century mark. Josh Hart hit 51 percent of his tries once he came over from Portland. Percentages beyond Hart weren't anything to write home about, but the interior game led by Mitchell Robinson and Isaiah Hartenstein kept the scoring consistent: New York was 11th in points, third in the second chance variety.

One year later, things have taken a turn for the worse in an admittedly minuscule sample size. Through the first five, the Knicks (2-3) are dead last in field goal percentage (40 percent) and are fresh off a downright disturbing 5-of-30 effort from deep in an offensively-challenged loss to Cleveland. Randle is shooting 27 percent from the floor and averaging just over 13 a game and Brunson has struggled to get his mid-range back.

Shouldn't Fournier at least have a chance to show what he can offer?

There's obviously time to make things right. Randle (offseason ankle surgery) and Brunson (potential World Cup fatigue) can get it together. But it could get late early for the Knicks, nonetheless. Friday's In-Season Tournament opener in Milwaukee (7:30 p.m. ET, MSG/ESPN) ends a stretch of six opponents from last season's playoffs over their first seven games along with Monday's visit from the Los Angeles Clippers, now armed with James Harden. The rebuilding San Antonio Spurs visit Wednesday but that's far from a reprieve thanks to Victor Wembanyama's early grasp of the NBA game.

The Knicks were in a similar spot upon last season's postseason demise, as they stuck to the prime nine even when they were the only team among the 16 playoff contenders to shoot less than 30 percent from three-point range. There's time to rectify that mistake and at least experiment against some intriguing competition if they let Fournier in. 

Fournier's outside prowess is a weapon the Knicks don't have much of a right to sideline when they're struggling the way they are from deep. It should go without saying that, much like their spring coda against Miami, Fournier's insertion is not a be-all, continue-all solution to keep the season rolling. But the Knicks need to leave no stone unturned as they work through a crucial era on the franchise timeline, one equally burdened with hope and danger.

The flaws of Fournier, while applicable, don't even apply too much at this point: Robinson, Hartenstein, and newcomer Donte DiVincenzo have held down the defensive fort well. New York has already held opponents to double-figures on three occasions after doing so just 11 times total last year. Additionally, playing Fournier now could get him out later: the shooter himself previously proposed that the Knicks give him some minutes if only to showcase his talents for a short while. 

Perhaps no one wants to look at last season's endeavors with nothing but Knicks-colored glasses, but the Knicks got off to a dreary start last season as well. Fournier's last stand in the rotation was a 145-135 loss to Oklahoma City that dropped the Knicks to 6-7 and he hasn't been truly heard from since.

Things are a little different this time around but one thing's for sure: Fournier can't be blamed.