Orlando Magic Playbook: How best to use Evan Fournier

Evan Fournier led the Orlando Magic in scoring last year. But his efficiency was dramatically down and it always felt he was not in the right role.

Evan Fournier was miscast last season. There is no way around it. He is a good player and produced solid numbers but could not lift his team out of the hole it dug itself.

The Orlando Magic last year had a by committee approach. Often the scoring production fell to Fournier. And increasingly, despite his best efforts, he could not deliver.

Fournier averaged a career-high 17.2 points per game, increasing his scoring production by nearly two points per game off his banner 2016 season. That was the year earned him a healthy five-year, $85 million contract from the Magic.

Last year, as it was for just about every player on the roster, was a difficult journey. The Magic came in with high hopes and saw several strong individual seasons, including from Fournier, but the collection of those seasons did not amount to much. A lot of this had to do with the collapse on the defensive end. That collapse made the team’s offensive struggles all the more apparent.

A lot of that had to do with the responsibility the Magic put on Fournier.

In 2016, Fournier averaged 15.4 points per game and 2.7 assists per game. He shot 46.2 percent from the floor and 40.0 percent from beyond the arc. He was efficient and aggressive, posting a 20.1 percent usage rate. Fournier worked more off the ball, attacking gaps rather than as the dominant ball handler.

In 2017, Fournier’s usage had to increase. He had a 23.5 percent usage rate, only behind Nikola Vucevic on the team. His efficiency dropped dramatically, shooting 43.9 percent and 35.6 percent from beyond the arc.

Some of this is natural returning to his mean after a career season shooting-wise. But clearly, Fournier can score more. It is unlocking his efficiency that could make him truly dangerous.

Fournier, as the best player on a bad and underperforming team, took his fair share of criticism. And certainly, he could use some improvement both in his playmaking — he had a fairly meager 14.8 percent assist rate — and his defense — he posted a -2.2 defensive box plus-minus.

It felt throughout the season the Magic asked Fournier to do more than he could.

The question then becomes as the team looks to turn the corner, the Magic have to ask how do they get the most out of Evan Fournier?

Fournier has clearly shown he is a good player who can contribute. Asking him to be the team’s leading scorer was just asking too much. And as the Magic rebuild, they have to find ways to make sure this major player on their team is in a position to succeed.