Just days after displaying a sincere interest in accepting an offer from a EuroLeague team, NBA free agent Evan Fournier already has three suitors. Chief among them is Olympiacos, as “the Greek red-and-white side has expressed their intention of going after the two-time Olympic silver medalist,” according to Eurohoops insider Stavros Barbarousis.
“No official proposals have been submitted yet,” Barbarousis adds, “but (Olympiacos head coach) Georgios Bartzokas’ team could be next in line. Real Madrid and Milan are also awaiting progress.”
Notably, in 2022, Fournier posted a tweet that read: “If I ever had to go back to Europe and I had the choice to go where I wanted, I think I would go to Olympiacos. It’s still a hell of a club.”
Si un jour je devais retourner en Europe et que j’avais le choix daller ou je veux, je pense que j’irais a l’Olympiacos. Cest quand meme un sacré club #F4GLORY
— Evan Fournier (@EvanFourmizz) May 21, 2022
The 12-year NBA veteran spent two seasons playing for the LNB Pro A’s Poitiers Basket 86 before being drafted in 2012.
Multiple EuroLeague Teams Interested In Signing NBA Veteran Evan Fournier
If he has the option to make an NBA roster, Fournier might take the chance no matter what. As he turns 32 years old in October, he might hope to squeeze out the last vestige of his athleticism before giving into fate.
Still, Fournier wants to play meaningful and consistent minutes. In fact, he all but pushed himself off the New York Knicks in pursuit of regular playing time. Once traded to the Detroit Pistons, he got that, averaging 18.7 minutes per game. The problem was that the Pistons weren’t and aren’t considered a playoff-contender. From Detroit’s side, Fournier isn’t ideally suited to help them navigate through their rebuild. Especially not with their backcourt logjam and his desire to play.
So they’ve let him walk in free agency.
The thing is, while Fournier makes more sense for a competitive team due to his age and experience, his decline makes him difficult to rely on. That’s not what a contender —playoff or championship— is looking for. To make matters worse, just being on a good team isn’t good enough for him, as evidenced by how his time with the Knicks ended. Based on both his ability and his attitude, more teams than not will pass on him.
That’s led the former star to where he is today.
The Last Word On Evan Fournier
FIBA’s rules may fit Fournier better. There’s less distance to cover defensively. The 3-point line is closer in. Lastly, skill and basketball IQ carry more weight than athleticism.
Of course, Fournier didn’t play particularly well in the Paris Olympics, which utilized FIBA rules. However, if his 15-point performance against Canada in the Paris Olympics proved anything, it’s that he still has a bit left in the tank. His best days may be behind them, but there could still be many great days ahead.
