EUROLEAGUE
02.09.2024 | 18:46
AP PHOTO/MARK J. TERRILL
The deal is closed, and Evan Fournier returns to Europe after 12 years to wear the Olympiakos jersey.
Sasha Vezenkov was the big signing of the summer, but Evan Fournier will be the bombshell of the offseason in European basketball.
The 32-year-old French guard has agreed to a two-year contract with Olympiakos and after 12 seasons in the NBA with the Nuggets, Magic, Celtics, Knicks, and Pistons, he crosses the Atlantic with the aim of dominating the EuroLeague.
The Piraeus team had identified Fournier’s case for many months, contacted him at the end of June, showed patience, and have now been vindicated as Pantelis Diamantopoulos revealed during Sunday’s Game Night (1/9), with the result that Giorgos Bartzokas is preparing to manage an amazing roster.
In his NBA career, the Frenchman averaged 13.6 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 2.5 assists over 27.7 minutes in 704 regular-season games, while in his good eight-year period (2014-2022), he averaged 15.8 points with 38% from three-point range, 2.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and one steal over 31.2 minutes in 531 games (489 times as a starter).
With the acquisition of Fournier, Olympiakos seems likely to move forward with some restructuring of the roster, although there is currently no definitive decision regarding the departure of any player.
The most logical scenario is that Filip Petrusev will be loaned to Red Star, as with Papapetrou and Fournier at the three, there will be no space and time for one of Vezenkov, Peters, or Petrusev to contribute actively.