Evan Fournier was not facing big expectations entering his fourth season. Victor Oladipo was supposed to be the Magic's shooting guard of the future, and rookie Mario Hezonja was slated to be his eventual running mate. Orlando declined to give Fournier a contract extension before the Nov. 2 deadline, so his place in the team's long-term core was up in the air.
Evan Fournier came out of nowhere to be the Magic’s top scorer
The fourth-year wing is flirting with stardom in the early going for the surprising Magic.
They clearly weren’t expecting him to make the leap he’s making this year. Fournier is leading the Magic in scoring and has become their go-to guy in crunch time this season. On Wednesday, Fournier hit two huge three-pointers late in the fourth quarter to give the Magic a win over the Timberwolves. If he keeps this up, Never Google could even push for All-Star status.
How did it happen?
The Magic needed a closer and Fournier is filling that role
Orlando doesn’t blow teams out. The Magic have played four overtimes already and their margin of victory is actually zero. They are a mediocre team in every way, as reflected by their 6-6 record. In order to continue to play .500 ball and have a chance to make the playoffs, they need to win close games. Fournier has been the man most responsible for making sure they do.
On Wednesday, Fournier scored the last bucket for the Magic in regulation at the 1:08 mark of the fourth quarter. Then with his team down two and a little over a minute to go in overtime, he connected on a wild, leaning three-pointer as the shot clock was running out.
That was impressive enough, but he topped it by hitting the game-winning three-pointer over Tayshaun Prince.
Those were tough shots, but Fournier has come up big in the clutch all season. He’s one of three Magic players that have attempted at least five shots with two minutes to go and his team up or down three points. He’s 3 for 5 in those situations, including 2 for 3 on three-pointers. If we expand the parameters of clutch play to the last five minutes of the game with the Magic ahead or behind by five, Fournier ranks eighth in the league in field goal percentage (min. 10 field goal attempts) at 50 percent.
He’s earning those fourth-quarter minutes with good performances, but his solid overall offensive play is what has allowed him to earn a permanent spot in the starting lineup.
Fournier’s versatility makes him a good first option
Fournier is averaging over 19 points a game and is getting them efficiently. Among players averaging over 15 points per game (100 field goal attempts minimum), his true shooting percentage ranks 14th in the league and seventh among wing players. He’s shooting a whopping 51 percent on two-point field goals, which makes up for his inability to get to the free throw line as much as other scorers. He’s also averaging 39 percent on three-pointers without feasting on easy, assisted corner looks.
Not only can Fournier score, but he can facilitate nicely as a secondary ball handler, as his almost three assists per game show. As a setup man, he can run a pick and roll or find the open man if the offense collapses. He's not able to make next-level reads like James Harden or LeBron James, but he's smart enough to recognize and make the easy pass.
Fournier’s ability to connect on catch-and-shoot three-pointers (41 percent for the season), create for himself against set defense and act as a passable secondary playmaker means he can thrive next to all types of teammates. That versatility is valuable in today’s NBA and is the reason why he is now a full-time starter.
The Magic will regret not signing him to an extension
The Magic had a chance to sign Fournier to an early contract extension, but the two sides weren't able to agree on a price. It made sense for both parties to pass at the time. The Magic are deep on the wing, with Oladipo entrenched at shooting guard and Hezonja, Tobias Harris and Aaron Gordon all capable of playing small forward. Fournier had also never showed he could play at this level before. For the French guard, this season represented a chance to up his value and he has taken advantage of it.
There's a chance Fournier regresses and settles into a sixth-man role as his career continues, but so far, he's outplayed all those players and is looking like a keeper. Other fourth-year wings like Jeremy Lamb, Terrence Ross and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist got sizable new deals ranging from $7 to $13 million a year. With the way he's playing, Fournier's new contract should be even higher than that. The Magic had a chance to secure Fournier at a bargain price before the season. Now, they'll have to pony up to keep him.
* * *
The Magic have been a pleasant surprise so far and Fournier is a big reason why. His offensive versatility brings balance to the starting lineup and his clutch play has been responsible for several of their wins. The Magic weren’t projected to make the playoffs this year, but they are staying in the race thanks to their internal growth.
Not only is their present better than expected, but their future seems even brighter now that Fournier has made an unexpected leap.
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