New York Knicks shooting guard Evan Fournier (ankle) was a last-minute scratch for Wednesday's contest against the Pistons due to right ankle soreness. Quentin Grimes made his second career start in place of Fournier and could hold streamer potential in season-long formats if Fournier's absence proves to be of the multi-game variety. Fournier's numbers have dipped in his first year with New York, as his 41.1% shooting percentage is on pace to set a new career low. With many of his overall numbers trending in the wrong direction, the veteran has found himself on the fence of fantasy relevance in the vast majority of season-long formats. His next chance to return to action comes Friday vs. Oklahoma City.

New York Knicks guard/forward Evan Fournier led all scorers and matched his season high with 32 points in Saturday's loss to Boston. His previous 32-point effort also came against the Celtics in the season opener. The Frenchman shot 13-for-24 from the field and hit four of his 10 triples. He pulled down five rebounds and tallied three assists with two steals and one block across 43 minutes of action. Fournier has now produced two consecutive strong performances after slumping for multiple games. The Knicks are short of scoring options and this should ensure Fournier a significant role for the upcoming games. Unfortunately, we'll have to wait a while for Fournier's next meeting with the C's, but he'll have two of them in a row early next month.

New York Knicks guard/forward Evan Fournier had a good bounce-back performance against the Rockets on Thursday, going for 23 points on 8-for-12 shooting in a 116-103 win. He hit half of his six attempts from deep and shot 4-for-7 at the line while gathering three assists with two turnovers and one rebound. Fournier scored almost the same amount of points he had managed in the previous four games combined (24). His debut campaign in the Big Apple hasn't gone according to plan, but Fournier has proven himself as a good NBA player and there's still time to turn things around. A special matchup against the Celtics awaits the Frenchman next. He started his Knicks career with a 32-point performance against Boston.

New York Knicks guard/forward Evan Fournier broke out of a slump on Tuesday, leading the team with 26 points in a 106-100 win over the Lakers. He matched his season high with six made triples and shot 8-for-14 overall from the field with a perfect 4-for-4 record at the foul line. The Frenchman's work also included a pair of assists with four rebounds and two turnovers in 42 minutes. Fournier posted just three points in his last outing and hadn't hit the 20-point plateau since starting off his Knicks career with a 32-point effort against Boston. It's been a miserable ride for him at the Big Apple so far, but maybe this will help him to get going now.

New York Knicks guard/forward Evan Fournier put up 18 points in Friday's big victory over Orlando, shooting 5-for-12 from the field and 4-for-5 at the line. The Knicks posted a new franchise record with 24 three-point makes and Fournier played his part with four treys. He dished out three assists against his former team and collected two rebounds and two steals with two turnovers in 27 minutes. The Frenchman has looked very good in his first couple of outings in a Knicks uniform and can pick up further confidence in Sunday's rematch with the Magic. Orlando boasts a horrible 121.9 defensive rating and should be easy prey for the Knicks.

New York Knicks shooting guard Evan Fournier had a memorable debut with the team on Wednesday. He helped lead the Knicks to a thrilling double-overtime victory over their rivals, the Boston Celtics, by scoring 32 points, second on the team behind Julius Randle, who notched 35. Fournier was extremely efficient shooting the ball in the game. He went 13-for-25 from the field overall and 6-for-13 from three-point range. He also added six rebounds, four steals, three assists and a block. Fellow first-year Knick Kemba Walker was quiet in this game, managing just 10 points on 3-for-8 shooting. Don't expect big nights like this consistently for Fournier, but he should be able to average somewhere around 18 or even 20 points per game this year if he continues to click in his new environment.

Jamahl Mosley has agreed to become the new coach of the Orlando Magic, the team announced Sunday, giving the longtime NBA assistant his first chance at running his own club. Mosley replaces Steve Clifford, who left Orlando by mutual agreement after three seasons and two playoff appearances. He becomes the 14th coach in Magic history — 15th if including Billy Donovan, who was hired by the Magic but never coached a game, instead returning to his job at the time with the Florida Gators. The 42-year-old Mosley has spent the last 15 years as an assistant in Denver, Cleveland and Dallas. The last seven seasons were with the Mavericks, and his name has been discussed as a candidate in coaching searches for some time. “Congrats my guy," Mavericks star Luka Doncic tweeted. Most recently, Mosley was with USA Basketball last week in Las Vegas as an assistant coach for the national Select Team — the group brought in to practice against the team that will represent the U.S. at the Tokyo Games. Mosley... [More]

Jamahl Mosley has agreed to become the new coach of the Orlando Magic, the team announced Sunday, giving the longtime NBA assistant his first chance at running his own club. Mosley becomes the 14th coach in Magic history. He replaces Steve Clifford, who left Orlando by mutual agreement after three seasons and two playoff appearances. The 42-year-old Mosley has spent the last 15 years as an assistant in Denver, Cleveland and Dallas. The last seven seasons were with the Mavericks, and his name has been discussed as a candidate in coaching searches for some time. Most recently, Mosley was with USA Basketball last week in Las Vegas as an assistant coach for the national Select Team — the group brought in to practice against the team that will represent the U.S. at the Tokyo Games. Mosley worked in Las Vegas under Miami coach Erik Spoelstra; they’ll now become division rivals in the NBA with Mosley taking over the Magic. “We would like to welcome Jamahl and his family to the Magic family,” said... [More]

Steve Clifford and the Orlando Magic took some time after the season to rest, recover and contemplate the future. And after a couple weeks, they decided the fit wasn't right anymore. Orlando's rebuilding project will no longer include Clifford, after he and the Magic completed an agreement Saturday to end his three-year run with the club. Magic President Jeff Weltman stressed that it was a mutual decision and he respected Clifford for being able to “assess where he is in his career." “Obviously, we've repositioned our team," Weltman said. “And so, there has to be alignment. There has to be alignment in everything you do in this league. And if there's not alignment, it'll undermine everything." That alignment clearly didn't seem to be there. Weltman indicated that Clifford — who will turn 60 before next season starts — decided he wasn't the right coach to lead the Magic through what may be serious growing pains with a young group. “The ‘why' is quite simple here: alignment," Weltman said.... [More]

The Orlando Magic's rebuilding project will not include Steve Clifford, with the team and their coach announcing Saturday that his three-year run there is over. Clifford was 96-131 in those three seasons, though that record is a bit misleading given how many injuries the team dealt with this season. Orlando went to the playoffs in 2019 and 2020 under Clifford, its first postseason trips since a run of six straight ended in 2012. But this season was trying in no shortage of ways. Injuries gutted the Magic, and then the team's core — All-Star forward Nikola Vucevic, guard Evan Fournier and forward Aaron Gordon — were all moved at the trade deadline as Orlando went younger and stockpiled draft picks for the rebuild. “It’s the toughest season I’ve ever been through,” Clifford said as the season ended. The team said it was a mutual decision. Orlando was 21-51 this season, and Magic President Jeff Weltman indicated Saturday that Clifford might not have wanted to be part of a long rebuild around... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Steve Clifford will not be back as coach of the Orlando Magic next season, a person with direct knowledge of the decision said Saturday. The decision was mutual, said the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the move had not been publicly announced. Clifford spent three years with the Magic, going 96-131 with two playoff appearances. The team missed the playoffs this year by a wide margin and ushered in a full rebuilding era by trading All-Star Nikola Vucevic, Evan Fournier and Aaron Gordon at the trade deadline this spring. “It’s the toughest season I’ve ever been through,” Clifford said as the season ended. ESPN first reported the decision. Orlando becomes the third coaching opening in the NBA, following Brad Stevens being promoted to President of the Boston Celtics and Portland’s move Friday to seek a new coach after Terry Stotts held that role for nine seasons. ___ More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW YORK (AP) — Kevin Durant missed his third straight game Friday against Boston after Nets coach Steve Nash said the forward's bruised left thigh hadn't healed enough to play. The Nets had listed Durant as questionable earlier in the day but ruled him out a couple hours before the game. Nash said the All-Star was close and possibly could return Sunday against Phoenix, but acknowledged that it may not be until next week. They are already playing without James Harden because of a strained right hamstring. The Celtics also remained short-handed, with Jaylen Brown missing his second straight game with left shoulder bursitis and Kemba Walker sitting out the second of back-to-back games to rest his left knee. “It’s the NBA in 2021. You’re going to both have people out. It’s the way it goes,” Celtics coach Brad Stevens said. Boston did get back Evan Fournier after he missed the last nine games for health and safety protocol reasons.

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Veteran guard Jeff Teague signed with the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday after the Orlando Magic waived him last week. The move reunites Teague with Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer, the two having worked together while with the Atlanta Hawks. The 32-year-old Teague played 34 games for Boston this season but was traded to Orlando last week as part of the deal that brought guard Evan Fournier to the Celtics. The Magic, who also acquired two second-round draft picks in the deal, waived Teague shortly after the trade. The Bucks had been seeking a backup point guard after sending D.J. Augustin to the Houston Rockets as part of the March 19 trade that brought them P.J. Tucker. Teague was selected to the All-Star Game in 2015 while playing for Budenholzer, who coached the Hawks from 2013-18. Teague, 6-foot-3, averaged 6.9 points, 2.1 assists and 18.1 minutes for Boston this season, and two of his more productive games came against Milwaukee. He scored 19 points in Boston’s 122-121 season-opening victory over the Bucks. Teague had 15 points in 17 minutes on March 24 when the Celtics lost 121-119 at Milwaukee. Teague is in his 12th NBA season. He has averaged 12.3 points, 5.6 assists, 2.4 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 805 career games with Atlanta (2009-16, 2020), Indiana (2016-17), Minnesota (2017-20 and Boston (2020-21). ___ More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

BOSTON (AP) — Celtics president Danny Ainge didn’t get everything he wanted at the trade deadline. He hopes it was at least the start of changing the tone inside his team’s locker room entering a pivotal stretch of the season. “I want our players to feel hope. I want our coach to feel hope. I sense some discouragement internally with our guys,” Ainge said Friday. “And so, that was one reason we did something now as opposed to waiting somewhere down the road.” What he did was send reserve point guard Jeff Teague and two future second-round draft picks to Orlando in exchange for 28-year-old Evan Fournier, a wing scorer and playmaker Ainge believes can take at least some pressure off Boston’s core of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Kemba Walker, and re-energize his team over the latter part of its schedule. Boston entered Friday at 21-23, having lost six of eight since returning from the All-Star break. The Celtics are currently eighth in the Eastern Conference and in danger of missing the... [More]

The NBA called this season’s trade deadline the busiest in the last 35 years, with 46 players from 23 teams involved in 16 different deals. What’s unclear is how many of those deals will have an impact on this season. Face it: Some will not register much of a blip. Brad Wanamaker getting moved to Charlotte by Golden State for a draft pick that will probably never change hands, that’s not exactly swinging a balance of power. Same goes for the Warriors sending Marquese Chriss to San Antonio, and Toronto trading Matt Thomas to Utah and Terence Davis to Sacramento — getting second-round picks back in both cases. Those Raptors moves were almost certainly made to clear roster spots for a Kyle Lowry trade that never happened. And it says something about the busiest trade deadline in 35 years when the biggest news of the day was a trade that didn’t happen, in Lowry’s case. That said, there were some moves that have potential to affect the postseason races. Here are some of the teams that benefited... [More]

Kyle Lowry wound up staying with Toronto after all. Victor Oladipo is finally in Miami, a destination he's eyed in the past. And Rajon Rondo is headed back to Los Angeles, though not with the team he helped win the NBA title last season. The trade deadline has come and gone. And now, playoff pushes can really begin. Miami, Denver, the Clippers, Portland, Dallas, Boston and Atlanta were likely among the teams feeling convinced that they improved on deadline day after a flurry of moves Thursday, though the best player — at least this season — might have been landed by the Chicago Bulls. They got All-Star forward Nikola Vucevic from Orlando, a move that ushered in the start of a big-time rebuild by the Magic. “Anytime you trade a player like Nikola, it is a tough decision to make," Magic President Jeff Weltman said. Vucevic is the only player from this season's All-Star Game to be traded at the deadline. It was a steep price; Vucevic and Al-Farouq Aminu went to the Bulls for Otto Porter, Wendell... [More]

Kyle Lowry wound up staying with Toronto after all. Victor Oladipo is finally in Miami, a destination he's eyed in the past. And Rajon Rondo is headed back to Los Angeles, though not with the team he helped win the NBA title last season. The trade deadline has come and gone. And now, playoff pushes can really begin. Miami, Denver, the Clippers, Portland, Dallas, Boston and Atlanta were likely among the teams feeling convinced that they improved on deadline day after a flurry of moves Thursday, though the best player — at least this season — might have been landed by the Chicago Bulls. They got All-Star forward Nikola Vucevic from Orlando, a move that ushered in the start of a big-time rebuild by the Magic. “Anytime you trade a player like Nikola, it is a tough decision to make," Magic President Jeff Weltman said. The Magic traded three of their four leading scorers; in addition to the Vucevic move, Evan Fournier was sent to Boston and Aaron Gordon is headed to Denver. Acquiring Gordon was... [More]

Kyle Lowry stayed with the Toronto Raptors, and the Miami Heat got Victor Oladipo instead. And on a trade deadline day where moves were getting made right up until the last possible moment, the Denver Nuggets took a big swing at getting better for a playoff run while the Orlando Magic began a rebuild. Lowry — considered perhaps the biggest prize who was on the market — did not get traded, the Raptors apparently unable to find enough assets to their liking. Miami was one of the biggest pursuers for Lowry, who they may still target as a free agent later this year, and wound up adding Oladipo from the Houston Rockets. That move didn’t cost Miami much: Kelly Olynyk was on an expiring deal, and Avery Bradley has barely played for the Heat this season because of COVID-19 and then a calf injury. The deal also included a pick swap in 2022, a person with knowledge of the matter told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal needed league approval. Oladipo has wanted to be in... [More]

Kyle Lowry stayed with the Toronto Raptors, and the Miami Heat got Victor Oladipo instead. And on a trade deadline day where moves were getting made right up until the last possible moment, the Denver Nuggets took a big swing at getting better for a playoff run while the Orlando Magic began a rebuild. Lowry — perhaps the biggest prize on the market — did not get traded, the Raptors apparently unable to find enough assets to their liking. Miami was one of the biggest pursuers for Lowry, who they may still target as a free agent later this year, wound up adding Oladipo from the Houston Rockets. It didn’t cost Miami much: Kelly Olynyk was on an expiring deal, and Avery Bradley has barely played for the Heat this season because of COVID-19 and then a calf injury. The deal also included pick swap in 2022, a person with knowledge of the matter told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal needed league approval. Oladipo has wanted to be in Miami for some time, and the Rockets... [More]

Kyle Lowry stayed with the Toronto Raptors, and the Miami Heat got Victor Oladipo instead. And on a trade deadline day where moves were getting made right up until the last possible moment, the Denver Nuggets took a big swing at getting better for a playoff run while the Orlando Magic began a rebuild. Lowry — perhaps the biggest prize on the market — did not get traded, the Raptors apparently unable to find enough assets to their liking. Miami was one of the biggest pursuers for Lowry, who they may still target as a free agent later this year, wound up adding Oladipo from the Houston Rockets. It didn’t cost Miami much: Kelly Olynyk was on an expiring deal, and Avery Bradley has barely played for the Heat this season because of COVID-19 and then a calf injury. The deal also included pick swap in 2022, a person with knowledge of the matter told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal needed league approval. Oladipo has wanted to be in Miami for some time, and the Rockets... [More]