New York Added Fournier in a Sign-and-Trade
New York completed a deal with Boston on August 17, 2021, to bring in Evan Fournier after agreeing to terms with the free-agent guard. The transaction also directed a conditional 2022 second-round selection and a separate 2023 second-round right toward the Knicks. Boston received cash and created a trade exception rather than taking back another established guard. Fournier had provided shooting and secondary creation during a brief Celtics spell the previous spring. The Knicks sought to make him a fuller part of their offense as they tried to build on a playoff appearance.
Fournier Supplied a Full First Season in New York
Fournier started all 80 games in which he appeared for the Knicks in 2021-22 and averaged 14.1 points while shooting 38.9 percent from three. Those figures provide an unmistakable receiving-team basketball return. He could space the floor and generate occasional offense, even though the team didn't achieve the consistent improvement hoped for from its new perimeter combination. His role contracted markedly in later seasons, limiting the longer-term success of the contract. Still, the first season alone gave New York far more court time than Boston obtained from the cash consideration in this particular exchange.
Boston Got Flexibility, Not a Replacement Shooter
The Celtics' direct listed compensation was cash, with a trade exception arising from the sign-and-trade structure. That flexibility could support later roster planning, but it is not another player who logged NBA appearances on the date of this exchange. Boston also parted with draft assets alongside Fournier. The protected 2022 component did not convey in its initial form, while the later second was associated with No. 41 in 2023, ultimately used on Amari Bailey. Treating Bailey's career as a Boston return would reverse the direction of that outgoing right.
A Real Knicks Shooting Season Outweighs the Contract Drawbacks
The signing proved less durable than New York initially hoped, and Fournier eventually fell out of the regular rotation. His contract also created an opportunity cost as the Knicks revised their backcourt. Nevertheless, the transaction delivered a full starting season and a high volume of made threes for the club that actually received him. Boston made a logical cap-management choice after Fournier's short stay, but its compensation did not replace those Knicks minutes. The trade's on-court value goes to New York, tempered by the later decline of his role.
Final Verdict
Knicks Win. New York earns B because Evan Fournier started 80 games and averaged 14.1 points in 2021-22, even though the contract's long-term value faded. Boston receives C+ for cash and sign-and-trade flexibility while sending conditional second-round rights away. The 2023 pick ultimately associated with Amari Bailey was an outgoing asset, not a Celtics player return.