Fournier Eager to Leave Knicks Behind After Trade

"I’m really excited to finally be out of New York," Fournier said in video from Mike Curtis of The Detroit News. "As soon as I got traded, they called me and said they’ve been trying to have me for the last couple of seasons now, so I'm looking forward to the opportunity."

Little more needs to ... and will be ... written about Fournier's metropolitan nightmare, a three-year slog that nonetheless offered him a lasting spot in Knicks history. 

Fournier set a single-season franchise record with 241 successful three-pointers during his debut campaign after coming over from Boston. But he quickly lost the Knicks' primary shooting guard duties to Cam Reddish and later Grimes before being exiled from head coach Tom Thibodeau's rotation entirely. Fournier was only brought in during the most dire of roster situations and had appeared in only three Knicks games this season before being granted his merciful exit before last week's trade deadline.

Thibodeau addressed the Fournier departure earlier this week, reiterating his belief that he was a good fit upon his arrival before the 2021-22 season and that the de facto exile was nothing personal.

"He did a good job for us,” Thibodeau said, per Steve Popper of Newsday. “Sometimes things change. The strengths of your club change. When we signed him, we felt a really good fit. He had a great year for us. I have great respect for him and certainly wish him well in Detroit."

“You always have to do what’s best for your team. So sometimes that means guys go out of the rotation. It’s not about liking a guy or not liking a guy. You have to do what’s best for your team.”

Fournier, 31, took advantage of his newfound freedom on Tuesday, scoring 13 points on 4-of-9 from the field in 25 minutes of action (his highest usage since October 2022) in Detroit's 125-111 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. Time will tell if Fournier receives a tribute on Madison Square Garden's videoboard when the Pistons visit Manhattan later this month.