How the double high screen could unleash Evan Fournier

Off the bounce

If the Magic ran these kinds of sets more often, it could potentially help the offense flow quicker more consistently and closer to Vogel’s vision for the team. It initiates the action early and gets the defense scrambled.

That said, Kemba Walker has simply been lights-out for Charlotte and it would not be reasonable to expect Evan Fournier to put up the kinds of numbers he has.

While Fournier was serviceable shooting off the dribble last year, only James Harden has hit more threes after seven or more dribbles than Walker.

Walker also has one of the best 3-point field goal percentages among anyone who has taken 20 or more 3-pointers after seven or more dribbles. Fournier, on the other hand, is a mere 4 for 10.

Stretch that to include last season, and he is 7 for 18. Thirty-nine percent is strong, but 18 shots in 108 games are not very much to work with. Fournier is not a ball-dominating player. So he is unlike Walker in that key aspect.

That said, Fournier has consistently shown elite ball-handling and shot-creation skills.
His quickness and creativity consistently allow him to finish near the basket and create space to get his shots off. He uses screens in a ton of different ways to help make this happen.

In the video above, Fournier uses his quickness to split the screen and drive straight to the basket with the slower Hawks big man Muscala on his hip. It shows Fournier can attack off the dribble effectively in pick-and-roll and double-screen situations.

Below, Kemba Walker splits the Indiana Pacers defenders off a Zeller screen to get an easy run at the basket, taking center Myles Turner one-on-one.

Both Fournier and Walker are consistently able to find holes and make smart, split-second decisions when they get screens. As a result, they can exploit mismatches against opposing bigs who simply cannot keep up.

Here, Fournier comes off Serge Ibaka’s pick to craftily attack the rim and finish in traffic.

Similarly, Kemba Walker also has a knack for quick drives off high screens and finesse around the rim.

On this play, Fournier drills a three off the dribble after a pick-and-pop from Elfrid Payton and a pick-and-roll with Nikola Vucevic.

He knocks it down, but most importantly, he has legitimate secondary options with Nikola Vucevic and Elfrid Payton.

This is not exactly what the Hornets tend to run for Walker, but it is not too far off and gives a glimpse at what it could create for Fournier and the Magic.