"I want to leave": Evan Fournier is desperate for freedom as he alleges Knicks are keeping him against his will

Evan Fournier is unhappy with the New York Knicks and he made his feelings clear that he wanted to leave the franchise ahead of the NBA 2023-24 season, saying he feels like a "hostage." After he found himself out of the team's rotation last November, the guard has been looking for a change in scenery and hoping to get some minutes but has had to be content with a handful of them.

According to the New York Post, Fournier said he was still in the Big Apple at the moment but wanted to be at a place where he could get some playing time.

“I’m still in New York at the moment,” Fournier said. “I want to leave. But beyond leaving, I want to have the opportunity to get some playing time back. That’s all. That’s mostly it. Because in New York, I feel extremely good. I love living there, I love the franchise, I love playing at Madison [Square Garden], I love the guys on the team."

The Frenchman added:

“So I just want to play, that’s all. It’s true that finding another club, changing franchises, if that’s what you have to do to play again, that’s what I would like to do.”

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Soon after the Knicks were packed home by the Miami Heat in the second round of the playoffs, Evan Fournier told the media that he expected to be out of the side and explained how the season saw him on the sidelines for the most part.

However, the Knicks are yet to move the guard, who is on an expiring $18.9 million contract that makes him a trade asset if a better deal comes their way.

Evan Fournier says he feels like a "hostage" with New York Knicks

In the same interview, Evan Fournier went on to say that he felt like a hostage with his current side. With media day set to start on Monday, Fournier will almost certainly start his new season as a Knick.

“If I knew, for example, that the coach was going to give me 10-15 minutes here and there, I know that I could make the most of it and grab minutes gradually and perform well. But that’s not even the case. I don’t have the opportunity to play and even worse, I feel like I’m being held hostage. I hope this situation will resolve itself and I especially hope that the Knicks will give me a chance," Fournier said.

This past season, he averaged 6.1 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.3 assists from just 27 games — the same number of contests played by Derrick Rose, who later inked a deal with the Memphis Grizzlies. In his two seasons with the Knicks, Evan Fournier has averaged 12.1 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.9 assists.

Only time will tell whether he will still be traded before the start of the season, or will be one of the moves New York might pull ahead of the trade deadline.