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Orlando Magic: They won’t be able to move Evan Fournier

By Luke Duffy

CHARLOTTE, NC - FEBRUARY 3: Evan Fournier #10 of the Orlando Magic stands for the National Anthem prior to a game against the Charlotte Hornets on February 3, 2020 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2020 NBAE (Photo by Kent Smith/NBAE via Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NC - FEBRUARY 3: Evan Fournier #10 of the Orlando Magic stands for the National Anthem prior to a game against the Charlotte Hornets on February 3, 2020 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2020 NBAE (Photo by Kent Smith/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Orlando Magic
(Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images) /

1. Who out there can do what he does?

Which brings us back to this “Euro Bros” argument. When Fournier looks around the court, often what he sees is a streaky Gordon, an ice-cold Terrence Ross, a still growing Fultz, and the paint patrolling Khem Birch. Jonathan Isaac is in street clothes, and nice though Wesley Iwundu has been, if he is getting all of the touches, you know you’re in trouble.

So what does Fournier do? Give the ball to the best Magic player of the last seven years, who led them through a rebuild and back to the playoffs. Becoming their first All-Star since Dwight Howard in the process, climbing the franchise’s all-time leader boards, and averaging a double-double in five of those seasons (as well as this one).

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Fournier and Vucevic are the best offensive tandem the Magic have, and that’s not going to guarantee you a win every night. In fact, when coupled with a head coach in Steve Clifford who preaches defense first, the team aren’t going to look good losing either. When the pair work well together, it looks great. When they don’t, and this happens regularly, it is ugly.

That’s what you get when you overpay for a player in Vucevic who plays in a position that is quickly vanishing on the court, and put him beside Fournier who is under-qualified for what he is often asked to do. He’d look great on a contending outfit, but his contract and where the Magic are at in their own development mean this is not going to happen.

So all of the reasons Magic fans would prefer if he was gone, are the exact same reasons he’s going to struggle to command similar sums for the rest of his career. Or why not a lot of organizations are picking up the phone to engage with the Magic right now. Not because Fournier’s a bad player, but because teams are much smarter with how they spend their money and construct a roster compared to even 10 years ago.

This is why it took 12 players and four teams to get Clint Capela out of Houston, and it might blow up in the faces of the Rockets and Atlanta Hawks. Andre Drummond of the Pistons is even harder to move. You better like looking at Vucevic, because even if Fournier could somehow be magically moved, do you really think another player in his position, or a similar skill level, would be able to do any better?

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