Just In: Little used Knicks making most of rare chance as he awaits likely trade fate….

When Evan Fournier first saw the news Saturday about the Knicks’ trade to the Raptors — without all the details fully revealed — he naturally wondered whether he and his expiring contract could be included in the deal.Fournier, who is making $18 million this season, was not involved along with RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley in the trade that brought OG Anunoby, Precious Achiuwa and Malachi Flynn to the Knicks.

Instead, the little-used veteran played just his second game of the season as the Knicks trailed in Saturday night’s loss to Indiana.“The thing is the way I learned [about the trade], I think it was just a commercial package around RJ. So of course you see it and go, “Oh.” He so he checks his phone and stuff like that,” Fournier said after the game. “I sleep well at night. I don’t check my phone to see if there’s a trade or anything like that. I just focus on the moment because that’s business.Fournier, 31, played for the first time since Nov. 17 – he scored 10 points on 3-of-10 shooting in 17 minutes – and is waiting to be accepted as a salaryman.“Sure, it’s fun to play, but the game is fast. … It’s never easy to play a match after sitting on the bench for a while,” Fournier said. “I tried to do my best.”Jericho Sims was announced available after missing the last six games with a sprained ankle, but did not play even though the Knicks were shorthanded due to the trade.“He had no contact and it was more of an emergency when we needed him,” Thibodeau said. Sims is not listed on the injury report for Monday’s game against Minnesota, and Quentin Grimes, who missed Saturday’s game due to a non-COVID-related illness, is also not listed on the injury report . Flynn is out with a sprained right ankle. Thibodeau vacated the bench near the end of Saturday’s game, including freshman Jacob Toppin, who arrived with 1:05 remaining. His older brother, former Knicks forward Obi Toppin, was already out of the game but returned to the game with 28.2 seconds left, allowing him to share an NBA spot with his brother for the first time in their careers .