Boston Celtics: 3 big decisions that need to be made this offseason
Boston Celtics Big Decision No. 2: Should they resign Evan Fournier?
The Celtics knew what they were getting into when they traded for Evan Fournier at the trade deadline, and now that his contract is up, they are going to have to decide whether they want to extend the 28 year old Frenchman or not.
Fournier certainly didn’t have the best tenure with the Celtics, considering he probably spent as much time in COVID protocols as he did on the court. And even when he was on the court, Fournier’s play could only be described as erratic at best. It seemed like you were only going to get a 20 point outing or an 0 for however many shots he took game, with nothing in between.
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And now, Boston needs to decide whether they want to resign Fournier or not. It would feel like a waste after Fournier took up a large chunk of the Hayward trade exemption to not resign him, but you also don’t want to throw money at people just to do it.
Fournier didn’t exactly do anything during his time in Boston to make people think he was worth a huge deal, but he is still most likely going to command somewhere between $15-20 million. The good news is, the wing market is filled with other options, which could drive down Fournier’s price tag. Norman Powell and Will Barton are two big names who have already opted out of their deals, and they could be joined by Josh Richardson before free agency starts.
This is a big decision for Boston. It’s not necessarily a bad idea to bring back Fournier, but there is no sense overpaying for a guy who didn’t really do much to make the team better last season. Sure there was a lot working against him, but Fournier won’t be worth the money if it gets up or around $20 million a year.
Fournier could be the Celtics sixth man next season if he resigns. He showed the potential to be a difference maker at times last season, and if the price is right, Boston should do what they can to bring him back. But if the bidding gets too high, the Celtics would be wise to play it safe and stay away from Fournier while focusing on other options.