Evan Fournier after a 12-year career in the NBA, has decided to leave American basketball and join the Euroleague. Despite having a brief stint with the Detroit Pistons, he was unable to regain his usual level in what is considered the best league in the world, choosing to seek new opportunities in Europe. But why did this scenario occur?
Why did Evan Fournier leave the NBA?
The French player decided to join the Euroleague with Olympiacos, signing a two-year contract worth more than $4 million. The decision came after a decline in his performance and prominence in the NBA, particularly during his time with the New York Knicks.
Evan Fournier, who signed a fairly hefty contract with the Knicks, was relegated to the bench under Tom Thibodeau, causing his frustration and desire to change rosters. Finally arriving to his last team in the NBA, the Detroit Pistonshaving a little notable step compared to the level he showed with the Orlando Magic or when he represented the French national team.
Yeaaahhhh it’s understandable why some guys leave the NBA. Evan Fournier welcomed like a king to @Olympiacos_BC. This is wildddd pic.twitter.com/d8DFejoRTO
— SLAM (@SLAMonline) September 5, 2024
Before his signing for Olympiacos became official, it is said that he had an offer from the Washington Wizards which was a two-year contract. However, the French guard declined the offer, as he did not like the idea of playing a mentor role on the American team.
He was about to end up at Real Madrid
Evan Fournier had also been linked to rumours about a possible signing for the Real Madridalthough Olympiacos eventually signed him first. Real Madrid were considering signing Fournier after securing the signings of former NBA players Serge Ibaka and Usman Garuba in an effort to improve their squad for the upcoming season.
Despite his offensive talent, his defensive inconsistency and his tendency to retain the ball a lot, created doubts about his fit in the white team that usually prioritizes a much more collective and balanced style of play. But even so, Real Madrid considered the possibility, due to the Lack of depth at the shooting guard position.
After 12 seasons, Evan Fournier is exiting the NBA and signing a two-year, $4 million-plus deal with Euroleague club Olympiacos, per sources. Fournier averaged nearly 10 points in France’s Silver Medal run at the Paris Olympics. pic.twitter.com/ErFKwEJl0W
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 2, 2024
Evan Fournier’s best NBA seasons
Evan Fournier had several outstanding seasons in the NBA, being a key player for the Orlando Magic where he reached his best performance. In the 2019-2020 season, he averaged 18.5 points per game with a high percentage of success in triples, consolidating himself as one of the most productive guards in the league.
In the following season, he also had an outstanding performance average 19.7 points per game, helping Orlando advance to the PlayOffs in these two seasons.
Evan Fournier’s tribute to Orlando, read his message below pic.twitter.com/rurO0ta2Dv
— Be Magic Or Be Gone! (@BeORLMagic) March 26, 2021
