Evan Fournier and the Orlando Magic want to stick together

Evan Fournier will be one of the biggest free agent decisions for the Orlando Magic. As the season ended, it seemed like both want to stay together in 2017.

Evan Fournier has already packed his bags for a little vacation. He and his wife have traveled off to the Philippines for some rest and relaxation. In a few week’s time, he will return to Orlando and then the real work will begin for him.

Or the real reward.

Free agency will dominate a good chunk of Fournier’s summer — including the will-he, won’t-he of playing in France’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament games in early July. Fournier is set to become a restricted free agent if the Magic offer him the qualifying offer as they are expected to do.

Then the Magic will have the ability to negotiate a new contract with him or Fournier will have to go out and get an offer sheet that the Magic will then have the option to match.

It is a big moment in Fournier’s career as he gets set for his first big contract. And by all accounts, both the Magic and Fournier do not want many things to change in their relationship.

“Big priority,” Orlando Magic general manager Rob Hennigan said of re-signing Evan Fournier. “One of our biggest if not our biggest priority this summer is to make sure Evan stays with us. We’re confident we’ll be able to do that.”

The Magic certainly have the control to do that with their right to match. But they also have their own priorities and plans for the upcoming free agency. Orlando is expected to have somewhere between $38.4 million and $56.1 million in cap room this summer. That is enough to sign a max free agent, if not two depending on how the Magic plan offers for their free agents.

Fournier could very well be one of the big names to hit free agency this summer after the max players.

He had a breakout season in 2016, averaging 15.4 points per game and shooting a 54.6 percent effective field goal percentage. That includes shooting 40.0 percent from beyond the arc on 4.9 attempts per game. Only 12 players this season made 40 percent of their 3-pointers while averaging at least four 3-point attempts per game — including Stephen Curry, Kawhi Leonard, Klay Thompson and J.J. Redick.

Fournier had his strongest season in many ways and did so in a contract year. He certainly proved a lot.

“I think the biggest thing is I proved I could guard some of the best guys in the league,” Fournier said. “Not stop them, but at least really compete and make them work for everything.”

Defense is still something he is improving on — he had a -1.4 defensive box plus-minus this year and has not had a positive defensive box plus-minus at any point in his career.

There is still areas he can improve. But Fournier certainly produced enough and had enough of his coach’s trust to make one believe he has exceeded what even he thought was his initial market value this offseason.

He reportedly turned down a four-year, $32 million extension, seeking a deal starting at $10-plus million per year. That investment in himself certainly seems to be paying off. At last year’s $70 million, a contract starting at $10 million per year would take up 14 percent of the cap. At next year’s projected $92 million cap, that would equal a contract starting at $13.1 million.

And it feels like Fournier will easily clear $15 million per year and could flirt with $20 million per year with so many teams having cap room. His market — and this market in general — is really hard to predict. Others may set what he could eventually make as bigger name free agents sign to create the market.

Fournier though was talking Thursday at the team’s exit interviews as if he was going to be returning to Orlando. He spoke at length about the team’s future and what they need to add, in addition to how close this team was.

“I guess we need a little bit of everything,” Fournier said. “We need a little bit more shooting. I just think we have the pieces to do that. We just need to be more consistent.”

Whether Fournier is a part of that equation is yet to be seen. It is clear though that the Magic want to try to bring him back if it is possible. That will have to be dependent upon the Magic’s plans this summer.

Next: Rob Hennigan under pressure as progress demands results

July is still a little ways from now. Enough time for Fournier to take a brief vacation before he gets back to the gym and to work for the season to come.