New York Knicks guard Evan Fournier was once a very valuable piece of the team’s rotation, starting 80 of 82 games in the 2021-22 season. However, he fell completely out of the team’s rotation this past season, and he is certainly not pleased about it, blasting his head coach Tom Thibodeau in an interview earlier this week.
Fournier played in just 27 games last season despite being active and sitting on the Knicks bench for the majority of the season.
He spoke about the team’s decision to cut him out of the lineup, saying that he was upset because he felt like he was in great physical condition.
“I practiced like it was off-season,” Fournier said via Basket News. “I ran a lot, I tried to progress. I’ve never been so strong. But that doesn’t necessarily transfer to your feelings and your game. I need to find my rhythm playing one-on-one opposition. When I realized that I was no longer going to play, I radically changed my way of working.
“You want to spit on everyone. You have hatred. Derrick Rose and I looked at each other and said to each other: ‘What the hell are we doing here?’ During the five-on-five practice, we were on the side like some prospects. Uncool times.”
He then openly spoke about Thibodeau, and didn’t have all that much positive to say about their relationship on or off the court.
“I have nothing to say because I have none,” Fournier added about their lack of relationship.”When he took me out of the five, he just told me he was going to try something else. Then at the first match of a road trip, he announced to me that I was leaving the rotation, and ciao.”
Fournier has one year remaining on his contract with the Knicks along with a team option in the following season. He finally added that he does not believe that he will be a part of the team next season.
“I would be very surprised to be a Knick next year. They pay me 18 million, they have no interest in keeping me.”
