The Boston Celtics are eagerly awaiting the arrival of one of their newest teammates, Evan Fournier.
The team switched to former Orlando Magic winger ahead of the NBA’s negotiation deadline on Thursday. Although he has a contract expiring, the Celtics expect him to sign again, hoping he will scare the team.
Fournier arrives offering a set of skills long coveted by the Celtics: scoring with size to help the bank in any attack. Brad Stevens doesn’t know exactly what Boston’s lineups will be like with the addition, but he imagines that the 28-year-old Frenchman will play an important role.
“He will be a minute player,” said the Celtics coach on Friday, ahead of the game against the Milwaukee Bucks. “And, you know, we will certainly count on him to do what he does. I think it was quite evident that the score in the bank, in whatever form, be it off the bank or the others off the bank, is a necessity. And so I think it will be very positive, and we are excited for him to join us. “
Stevens said that deciding how this revamped team fits better will take some time to learn, as he only had a chance to text Fournier and speak briefly on the phone.
Fournier is in Boston doing his physical exam, but he may be in Oklahoma City for the Celtics game against Thunder on Saturday, shared basketball operations team chairman Danny Ainge.
Whenever Fournier joins his new team, they’ll instantly put you in the mix.
“We are going to treat it a little differently with Evan, he is going to be played there, and we are going to ask him to learn,” said Stevens of Fournier’s experience. “He has played in the league for a long time.”
Miniature photo via Mary Holt / USA TODAY Sports Images