Orlando Magic Trade Value Column 2017

4. Evan Fournier, $85 million/5 years, Player Option 2020

The Magic had a big decision to make this offseason. Maybe it was a false one, but the team sensed it could not keep both Victor Oladipo and Evan Fournier together. Neither player may have been perfect, but it was financially infeasible to keep both.

Orlando chose Fournier, shipping Oladipo off in the Ibaka deal. With Olympic pressure growing and Fournier trying to get his contract issue resolved before Rio, he signed for a below-market value.

Fournier arguably still produces to his contract. He has averaged a career-high 16.8 points per game. His PER is still a slightly below-average 13.6, among the best in his career but down from last year considering his increase in role.

Fournier is really the Magic’s only consistent scoring option on the perimeter. And that is probably a role Fournier never should have been put in to begin with. Oladipo was better suited to that primary role.

Still, Fournier should retain some value. He is a solid shooter and smart attacking rotations. He is not bad playing the pick and roll but not someone who will break down defenders off the dribble. He will struggle against the best defenders. He needs someone to relieve that offensive pressure from him.

This is all to say, the Magic have no reason to shop Fournier actively right now. Not that they could get much for him. He is in the first year of a five-year deal. Put in the right role, Fournier would certainly flourish. And so the Magic have to find a way to put him in a role he can succeed better.

Because he probably is not going anywhere for a while.