No. 2: Evan Fournier, New York Knicks
In 2021, Evan Fournier inked a deal with the New York Knicks worth $73 million over the next four seasons. The French veteran has since fallen out of the Knicks rotation, even prior to the addition of Jalen Brunson and emergence of Immanuel Quickley.
Targeting Evan Fournier in a trade would not only cost Cleveland his salary once he is on the roster; the Cavs would also have to match his guaranteed $18.8 million salary. This would mean that Cleveland would have to send out multiple players of their own into the deal. Likely, both Rubio and Cedi Osman would have to be sent to New York, setting Cleveland’s already thin depth back even further.
Admittedly, when Fournier sees meaningful minutes of action, he can still impact winning. In the 2021-2022 NBA season, Fournier played 29.5 minutes per game, making an appearance in 80 games that season. Beyond the arc, Fournier shot an impressive 38.9% that year on 7.7 attempts per game alongside 2.1 assists.
Theoretically, Evan Fournier fits into the Cavaliers’ gameplan, but with his staggering price tag, he is an unfortunate target Cleveland has to avoid.