Evan Fournier would not change a thing after resigning with Orlando Magic

Evan Fournier enters the season with a new contract and a larger role. His approach throughout the summer though remained largely the same entering the year

No one expected much from Evan Fournier when the Orlando Magic took the floor last year.

The focus laid on Victor Oladipo‘s burgeoning star. Nikola Vucevic‘s continued development. And Tobias Harris‘ new contract.

Fournier was an afterthought. Especially after he struggled with injuries in his first year in Orlando, playing only 58 games.

Fournier was important, but nobody saw him breaking out in the way he did, seemingly pushing himself into the Magic’s future plans at the expense of some other players.

His breakthrough 15.4 points per game last season propelled him into the starting lineup. He added a 40.0 percent clip from beyond the arc and recorded 2.7 assists per game. Fournier’s numbers increased across the board — and continued a general upward trend in his four-year career.

The Magic rewarded him with a five-year, $85-million. They made more than just a place for him on the roster, they made a commitment for him to be a key part of the team long term. A place he earned.

Things have changed for Fournier. His role has expanded and the team will expect more from him.

Yet, nothing has changed for Fournier.

“As far as basketball, it doesn’t change really,” Fournier said. “I’m still going to play as hard as I can every night. But, of course, it is great to know you have the confidence and the trust of the front office, of the coaches, of your teammates and the whole franchise. It is definitely a great feeling, but I have the same mind set.”

Fournier said he approached the summer with the same mind set to get better this year, just like any other summer. There was no resting on the laurels of his new deal.

The same pursuit and drive kept Fournier going through the summer as any other summer. The money and the new role did not change him or his approach.

Fournier handled the business of the summer quickly. He said he wanted to stay in Orlando from day one and got his deal signed quickly. Part of that may have been his holding out hope he would play for the French national team, and there were reports suggesting he pushed to get a deal finished quickly and left money on the table to be available for his national team.

Even then, there is a sense Fournier feels at home in Orlando.

“I did not even look at offer sheets,” Fournier said. “Since Day One I said it, I feel good here. There was no reason for me to leave. the front office showed me confidence. Why wait and go somewhere else? I’m a loyal guy. This is just how we do business.”

The way Fournier does business on the floor is also impressive.

His 2016 season was truly a strong one that made the Magic rethink some of their rebuilding plans. His shooting and ability to get to the basket as defenses rotated made him one of the team’s more valuable scorers. He began turning in 20- and 30-point games with regularity early in the season.

His quickness gave small forwards problems as he attacked from the perimeter and made good decisions and he took advantage of space to hit 3-pointers at a comfortable clip.

That is what Fournier does as much as anything. He makes the right decisions and does not make a ton of mistakes.

“He’s a great mover without the basketball,” coach Frank Vogel said. “He’s got that threat to beat you over the top that puts a lot of pressure on the defense. When you have that threat and defenders got to really close the gap with you it creates a lot of passing lanes and options for you. He’s a great decision maker.”

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And Vogel will rely on Fournier as much as anyone. The Magic lack any standout perimeter scorers. Fournier might very well be the best one on the roster at the moment. And that makes his role all the more important.

Fournier, for his part, is excited to return to playing the 2 primarily. He spent much of last season — nearly half his minutes — at small forward last year. While Fournier is more than capable — and arguably better offensively — at playing that position, he admitted playing against stronger players at that position was a challenge.

Returning more full time to shooting guard should put Fournier in a better position to succeed on both ends. His work in the summer should better prepare him for the role he will play.

Then again, none of that probably would have mattered to Fournier. He just wants to roll the ball out and play and let his play do the talking. That is what it has always done.

Fournier scored 18 points in 23 minutes on 5-for-9 shooting in the Magic’s preseason opener Monday against the Memphis Grizzlies. It was a solid showing for him and displayed a lot of what made Fournier good last year and some of the things he worked on in the offseason.

Particularly his mid-range game — he shot worse than 40 percent from the floor from 10-23 feet last year. That was an area he focused on a lot in the offseason as the mid-range game has become exclusively reserved for stars.

The new accolades or new role or new situation was not weighing on Fournier this offseason. He put the work in on himself to do what he needs to do for his team.

It seems it has all built into an impressive camp and another strong, improving season for Fournier. The pressure is on him to deliver again.

That is no different than any other summer for Fournier. He is the same player he was last year with the same approach despite all the added pressure coming this season.

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“I worked really hard this summer, like every summer basically,” Fournier said. “I’m trying to get better each and every day. I’m coming in every day with the mind set it is going to pay off. I’m pretty confident.”