Fournier works on chemistry with Knicks & Randle
Evan Fournier is in the feeling out process. He and Kemba Walker are the newcomers on a team that spent last season together, forging a chemistry and comfort that is difficult to produce without repetition.
Principles translate regardless of teammates or system. But, as Fournier outlined ahead of Saturday’s preseason game against the Wizards, individual tendencies are learned over time.
“We are all different. You learn that by being with them on the court,” Fournier said. “It’s not just watching film. You have to get a feel for that. Like, ‘OK, I’m gonna come off the dribble handoff at that time for Julius [Randle] to be free,’ because if I go too soon, I’m gonna bring my defender. If I go too late, I’m not gonna be open.
“Stuff like that. And that really happens on the court.”
Jiving with Randle is the key to offense. Fournier has never played with a power forward who possesses the playmaking abilities of Randle, who was, by far, the Knicks leader in assists last season.
The new pairing worked well enough in the preseason opener against the Pacers, a smorgasbord of Knicks offense in a 125-104 victory. But it’ll be difficult to replicate the chemistry between Randle and last season’s shooting guard, Reggie Bullock, who left for the Mavericks in the summer.
Bullock and Randle were in lockstep. In addition to being close off the court, they represented the league’s ninth-best assist duo. Nearly half of Bullock’s field goals arrived off Randle’s assists, and over one-quarter of Randle’s assists were to Bullock.
Fournier was signed to big money (four years, $78 million) because he can do something Bullock can’t — create offense for himself off the dribble — but he also has to stay out of the way.
“I’ve been in this league for 10 years now as a shooting guard. So, you understand spacing. You understand the pace of the game. You understand how to play with guys,” said Fournier, who had 12 points in 27 minutes in the preseason opener against Indiana. “And as far as just Kemba and I really playing well with those guys, it’s about really those details.
“For example, something about myself: I think I’m gonna have to be really precise about the twoman game with Julius, because usually when you have a power forward that’s on the top of the key, he’s gonna take the ball and just swing it and go to the weak side pick-and-roll or dribble-handoff, but he’s really good, so he can drive. He can pass. He can shoot. So, I’m gonna have to read him to not bring my defender in his space. Those are just details that takes a little bit of time, but those are things that we work on in practice. So, I actually can’t wait to get on the court with those guys again to keep building habits.”