After the initial hysteria of watching the Orlando Magic signal a real direction change in moving Nikola Vucevic to the Chicago Bulls, fellow “Euro Bro” Evan Fournier was quickly out the door after him. The Frenchman getting moved to the Boston Celtics in exchange for a pair of second-round draft picks.
While plenty of fans have been critical of Fournier in the past, they didn’t even have time to properly process what was going on. Their jaws still firmly on the floor after the Vucevic news broke. But with both gone, the organization truly has brought to an end an era of basketball with plenty of downs, and some ups as well.
NBA trade grades: Evan Fournier headed to the Celtics for some picks.
Orlando gets:
- A pair of second-round draft picks
Boston gets:
- Evan Fournier
Put in the context of the Vucevic deal happening a short time beforehand, the Magic were always going to lean hard into a new direction and rebuild of sorts by getting rid of their clear best player. In a vacuum though, this particular deal may seem a little more puzzling for Fournier, even if he is in the final months of his current deal.
For the Celtics, their season has not gone to plan, and they have clearly slipped in the pecking order in the Eastern Conference. Adding Fournier gives them an opportunity to retool for a postseason run, with one of the more underrated, if not frustrating at times to watch, creators in the league.
NBA trade grades for the Orlando Magic
Is it possible that this deal was just a little bit rushed? On the surface, moving on from Fournier was absolutely the right call for one key reason. The decision on whether or not to bring him back this summer would have been a tricky one, that alienated one side of the fanbase no matter what the front office did.
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To have done so would have meant the Magic were running it back, with Fournier their best creator and somebody they trusted to make another significant leap forward. Either that or let him walk for nothing. Instead, that decision is taken out of their hands now, and they can move on without wondering what might have been if he’d walked.
Make no mistake though, the Magic are going to struggle in his absence. It became clear quite how important he was offensively this season when he was out injured, and a lot of offensive possessions are going to be downright ugly now that he is not around. He could bail the team out in ways nobody else could, save for Vucevic from time to time.
Getting a pair of second-rounders for him is a little underwhelming though. Obviously, the value of Fournier isn’t very high because he is only a rental unless he commits his future to another organization, plus they did not have to make the decision on keeping him. But a young player with some upside was not asking for too much.
Even on the roster of the Celtics, there are a number of young guys who have some intrigue to them at least. Players like Romeo Langford, Payton Pritchard and even Tacko Fall. Instead, the Magic will get two chances to draft a serviceable player in the second round in the future. The best they’ve done with these picks up to this point? Wesley Iwundu, who they let walk last year.
Grade: C
NBA trade grades for the Boston Celtics
General Manager Danny Ainge does it again, despite a growing reputation that he is not somebody who follows through on the deals that he phones about. He has fleeced opponents in the past, and while this isn’t quite a heist job, getting Fournier at that price, given the position the team currently finds themselves in, is a no-brainer.
The Celtics have fallen flat without their two stars players (Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown) on the court so far this year, and the knee issues of Kemba Walker are a continued worry. Now they have Fournier who can fill in the gaps around these guys creatively, most likely propping up a bench unit that could really do with his veteran knowledge and ability to score in different ways.
There is also a chance, albeit a slim one right now, that Fournier could close for the Celtics in the playoffs, which could also work well for the team. Fournier can get it going from deep (career 37.6 percent from 3-point range) and has never been the unchallenged number one option for the Magic. Seeing less of the ball and spotting up around Tatum is something he will be comfortable with.
Beyond his on-court fit, the Celtics are excited to add Fournier to the locker room.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) March 25, 2021
Fournier was a bit of jokester in the Magic locker room and helped keep things light during some tough times for Orlando.
Defensively he is not bringing a lot to the table, but really the Celtics just needed a proven player to add to their rotation. Some have called them soft in many of their losses this year, and while there is some truth to that, Fournier isn’t exactly known as an enforcer. Nevertheless, and as already stated, for the prize the Celtics paid, you make that move.
It may be that Fournier is so impressed with a new organization and culture that he re-signs in the offseason on a team-friendly deal anyway. Given the guys who have been, and who will be, paid on the Celtics roster though, it is more likely that he goes elsewhere. Windows close quickly and unexpectedly though, and while Tatum and Brown are fit and healthy and continuing to improve, you try to put a winning product around them. To that end, Fournier really helps.