Orlando Magic: Fans should cut Evan Fournier some slack

The Orlando Magic’s continued attempts to make the playoffs wouldn’t have been possible without Evan Fournier.

The Orlando Magic are currently 2-1 in what has to be their biggest week as an organization in seven years. Great and gritty wins over the Philadelphia 76ers and Miami Heat were dampened by a turning over by the Detroit Pistons.

They still find themselves in the hunt for a playoff spot and although it will come down to the wire with who ends up getting in, the Magic can take comfort in the fact that some others have far harder schedules to navigate.

Getting to this point wouldn’t have been possible without most of the players on their roster. Not only a first time All-Star this season in Nikola Vucevic, but through guys like D.J. Augustin and Wesley Iwundu too. Players who won’t get a ton of credit for what they do.

Evan Fournier doesn’t quite fall into that category. Rather, it is hard to place him at all, such is the reluctance of some fans to give him his due for helping to get the Magic to this point.

Given the choice of trading any player on the team, a number of fans would readily choose Fournier, which is odd.

He is capable of doing things on the court that not many others on the roster can, and always seems to say the right things about wanting to improve too, so why does he continue to get a hard time despite another solid year?

Starting with his play on the court, and although Fournier is having a quieter year by his standards (the 14.9 points he is averaging is down on the 17.8 of last season), he is still a positive influence in a number of ways.

The 34 percent he is shooting from deep might be a career-low, but he makes just enough of them to keep defenders honest. His effective field goal percentage of 50.5 percent is the second-lowest of his seven-year career, and the worst since he joined the Magic.

But while all of this isn’t great, Fournier is able to do something that nobody else on the roster looks comfortable attempting. He is a closer. The below information dates back to Feb. 23, but still highlights how important he can be for the Magic in close games.

The Magic are 20-25 in games where the lead was five points or fewer with five minutes to go this season, and you have to think that number would be a good deal worse if Fournier wasn’t around. His personal numbers have taken a hit, but he looks more comfortable in the role that he now has.

During the worst rebuilding seasons, there was no structure in place to get the best out of Fournier. He was free to shoot as often as he liked and generally do what he wanted on the court, and this resulted in a lot of poor shots being thrown up.

Now however he is playing alongside a certified All-Star in Vucevic, a guy in Aaron Gordon who is turning into a fantastic player on both ends, a legitimate up and comer in Jonathan Isaac and offensive help off the bench in Terrence Ross.

Head coach Steve Clifford holds him more accountable as well, and this is reflected in how he speaks to the media when called upon during and after games.

Fournier always mentioning what he or the team could have done better, while also pointing out that making the playoffs should be their ultimate goal.

With more players around him to help carry the offensive load, Fournier has turned into more of a leader for the younger guys on the roster. This is seen in his defensive rating this season, which coach Clifford deserves some credit for instilling in him.

Fournier was never known for his defensive ability, but this season the Magic have a rating of 107 (his best mark in four seasons) when he is on the court.

On the season, the organization as a whole has a rating on 107.2, showing that they are marginally better when Fournier is on the court. Not something that could have been said in the past.

Offensively he is still capable of taking over for stretches too, most recently seen in the win over the 76ers, when he had 24 points. Yet a lot of people aren’t convinced, and would still rather he was gone sooner rather than later.

https://twitter.com/kcreggar10/status/1092961866538614784

It seems hard to believe, but Fournier is only 26, and becoming a more well rounded and efficient player (which he has not always been, even this season) is still a possibility.

He has two years left on his current contract after this season (at $17 a year), but the Magic have been bitten by letting players go too early in the past.

While there’s no doubt Orlando looks like a more appealing place to play now than at any point since 2011, top tier free agents aren’t likely to join this coming summer (with the exception maybe of Kemba Walker, given his history with coach Clifford).

Vucevic is an unrestricted free agent too, and if he were to leave Fournier would be their established offensive “star” until Isaac grows.

Which is why Magic fans should continue to get behind Evan Fournier.

He most likely isn’t going anywhere, and while he has had rocky moments this season and has seen his production dip offensively, he has improved in other areas which have contributed to this being a fringe playoff roster.

The way he acts on the court can be frustrating sometimes, and his questionable shot selection isn’t gone completely. But what he has added is an improved defensive game, leadership qualities and assuming the role of taking the ball with the game on the line.

That’s not a bad person to have going forward for a playoff chasing team, and he hasn’t even entered his prime yet. Fans need to give him a break, and realise what they’ve got in somebody like Evan Fournier.