Evan Fournier 'Just Wants to Play' As Knicks Drama Continues

Evan Fournier sounds resigned to his New York Knicks fate as he continues to linger on the roster.

With an escape from New York proving futile, Evan Fournier sounds resigned to his metropolitan fate.

Despite his likely inclusion in pretty much every hypothetical trade involving the New York Knicks over the last 10 months, the French-born sharpshooter remains on the blue and orange ledger. With training camp looming and no end to the saga in sight, Fournier resolved to make the best of the situation in an interview with Isabelle Lange of French radio station RTL.

“I’m still in New York at the moment,” Fournier said (h/t Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News). “I want to leave. But beyond leaving, I want to have the opportunity to get some playing time back. That’s all. That’s mostly it."

By now, Fournier's story hardly needs to be told: he began last season, his second as a Knick, as New York's primary shooting guard but was quickly usurped by second-year first-round pick Quentin Grimes. One year after setting the Knicks' single-season record for successful three-pointers, Fournier was more or less exiled from Madison Square Garden hardwood, appearing in just 12 games in the new calendar year. 

The lack of playing time notwithstanding, Fournier admitted that he enjoyed playing in New York and with his metropolitan teammates. 

"In New York, I feel extremely good," he said. "I love living there, I love the franchise, I love playing at Madison (Square Garden), I love the guys on the team."

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Thus continues Fournier's rollercoaster of emotions since his exile became apparent, It's at least a step up from his exit interview at the end of the Knicks' postseason run, when he forcefully declared that there was "no way" he'd play another minute in Manhattan.

The Knicks have reportedly sought to do right by Fournier, seeking to trade the "good soldier" to a desirable situation. Fournier's $18.9 million salary for the 2023-24 season, however, has complicated matters and Fournier himself has since questioned why the Knicks have refused to showcase him if they're truly looking to trade him.

He continued to express those thoughts in the interview with RTL, taking what could be viewed as a hidden jab at head coach Tom Thibodeau after previously declaring that he had no relationship with the Knicks' fourth-year boss.   

"What frustrates me is not being able to control things,” he said. "If I knew, for example, that the coach was going to give me 10-15 minutes here and there, I know that I could make the most of it and grab minutes gradually and perform well."

"But that’s not even the case. I don’t have the opportunity to play and even worse, I feel like I’m being held hostage. I hope this situation will resolve itself and I especially hope that the Knicks will give me a chance.”

There doesn't seem to be an opening for Fournier's wish, at least not in New York: Grimes is expected to reprise his role in the Knicks' starting five and the team recently made lengthy commitments to Donte DiVincenzo and Josh Hart.