EVAN Fournier has put pressure on the New York Knicks to let him leave this offseason.

The French guard said it would be a “disaster for his career” to spend another year at Madison Square Garden.

Evan Fournier has demanded the New York Knicks let him go this summer
2

Evan Fournier has demanded the New York Knicks let him go this summerCredit: Getty

Fournier (middle) made just 27 appearances in 2022-23 having seemingly fallen out with Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau
2

Fournier (middle) made just 27 appearances in 2022-23 having seemingly fallen out with Knicks head coach Tom ThibodeauCredit: Getty
The Knicks acquired Fournier, 30, in a sign-and-trade deal with the Boston Celtics after he penned a four-year, $73million contract in 2021.

But having seemingly fallen out with head coach Tom Thibodeau, he made just 27 appearances in 2022-23, none of which came in the playoffs.

Even when the 6-foot-6 guard entered the court, he didn’t stay on for long as he clocked just 17.0 minutes per game – the second-lowest average of the Frenchman’s NBA career.

Overall, the former first-round pick averaged 6.1 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.3 assists last season, posting the lowest numbers since he made his NBA debut in 2012-13.

And Fournier told L’Equipe he can’t waste another year on the bench, demanding the Knicks let him go this summer.

“I would be shot,” he said, translated from French. “I’m going to be traded, it’s not possible otherwise. Or I’d be stuck, and so would they.

“They have several players with big contracts coming in. Unless they want to pay a crazy luxury tax.

“If I stayed, it would be a disaster basketball-wise for my career. I can manage a year without playing. Two, that would be terrible.”

Fournier, who is owed $18.9m in 2023-24, struggled to get buckets last season, recording career-low shooting percentages both from the field (33.7) and for 3 (30.7).

But the shooting guard suggested Thibodeau didn’t offer him a chance to bounce back.

“When he took me out of the [starting] five, he just told me he was going to try something else,” he said.

“Then at the first game of a road trip, he announced to me that I was leaving the rotation, and ciao.”

Fournier added he has no relationship with the Knicks head coach, who is believed to have also had an “intense verbal altercation” with Obi Toppin in the 2023 playoffs.

Since then, Toppin has been traded to the Indiana Pacers for two second-round picks.

“At first, yes, you want to spit on everyone,” Fournier said of his situation. “You have hatred.

“Derrick Rose and I looked at each other and said to each other: ‘What the hell are we doing here?’ During the 5-on-5, we were on the side. Uncool times.

“And when I realized that wouldn’t change, I took things more slowly. I focused on me and didn’t let the rest get to me anymore.”