Back in their Orlando Magic days, Evan Fournier and Nikola Vucevic were more than just teammates, they were a dynamic duo with a chemistry that was almost telepathic. They would even speak French to each other on the court to throw off defenders. “Definitely, we have great chemistry and there’s no secret to that,” Fournier once said about their connection. “No more two-man game with him out,” he lamented when Vucevic was injured, a nod to just how crucial their on-court partnership was.

Years later, with Fournier doing great in Greece and Vucevic still holding down the middle in Chicago, their friendship clearly hasn’t faded one bit. And neither has their signature way of joking around with each other.

After a really strong first season in the EuroLeague, Fournier made a big decision about his future. He signed a three-year extension with the Greek basketball giant, Olympiacos. This wasn’t just him leaving the NBA after 12 years; it was a choice he made very intentionally. Fournier shared that he had turned down a two-year deal from the Washington Wizards because he didn’t want to just mentor on a team that wasn’t going anywhere. “I don’t want to experience what I’ve experienced for two years in the NBA. I was bored to death,” he told L’Equipe. “I want real competition, a place where I can be myself.”

That place, it turns out, is Greece. He couldn’t hide his excitement on X (what used to be Twitter), writing, “Olympiacos welcomed me like family… Couldn’t be happier to be part of this sacré club for 3 more seasons.”

But just as the congratulations were rolling in, his old friend Nikola Vucevic decided to chime in with a hilarious, sarcastic roast. Reacting to the news, Vucevic posted, “Feel sorry for Olympiacos fans having to watch this douchebag for three more seasons.” It was a classic example of the playful banter that has defined their friendship for years.

Fournier, however, was not about to let his old friend get the last word. He responded with a perfect, savage clap back that had the basketball world in stitches. “Its ok bro I know you’re tired of playing for the lottery,” he wrote.

That comment was a brilliant, lighthearted dig, referring to their seven seasons together on the struggling Orlando Magic. That team was often stuck in the NBA draft “lottery,” meaning they were one of the non-playoff teams. It was a shared history of tough years and not much winning, and Fournier used it as the ultimate punchline. It was a subtle way of saying that while Vucevic is still working hard with the Chicago Bulls (a team that also hasn’t quite become a real contender), Fournier has found a home with a European club that’s built to win championships. It was a hilarious back-and-forth that proves that even on opposite sides of the world, the bond—and the friendly trash talk—between these two is as strong as ever.

However, while Fournier’s “lottery” line might have been just a quick joke, but it really points to two very different situations for these former teammates.

A tale of two paths: Fournier’s fire vs. Vucevic’s limbo

While Fournier has found peace and a clear purpose playing overseas, Vucevic is heading into a time of uncertainty in his career. According to a recent update from NBA insider Jake Fischer at Bleacher Report, the market for the 34-year-old Bulls center has gone “quiet.” Fischer reports that a buyout, where he’d leave his contract early, is now more likely than a trade.

This is happening even though Vucevic had a good 2023-24 season, averaging 18.5 points and 10.1 rebounds. Still, he’s now in the final year of his contract. If the Bulls decide to go in a new direction, he might end up joining a contender like the Heat, Warriors, or Celtics for a cheaper deal. This is exactly the kind of unstable situation Fournier wanted to avoid.

In contrast, Fournier has fully thrown himself into the intense, passionate world of Greek basketball. He’s called the Olympiacos-Panathinaikos rivalry a “toxic atmosphere” that makes every game incredibly exciting. Far from being bored, he now finds himself in battles that have completely brought back his competitive fire.

His EuroLeague season ended with a tough Final Four loss, but he bounced back by leading Olympiacos to his first-ever league title. “We had to get this,” he said about the championship, calling it more of a “relief” than a big celebration.

Fournier has also really embraced the tough, passionate side of international basketball. Thinking about a hard foul and the fiery gesture he made afterward, he simply said, “I’m a man. Sometimes you have to stand up for yourself.”

It’s a huge change from his days sitting on the bench with the Knicks, where he says he “lost that fire.” In Greece, he’s clearly found it again. “Last year, being on the bench with the Knicks, you kind of lost that… Here, I was able to be myself again.”

That’s the clear difference. One player is taking back control of his career and finding joy in the game again. The other is dealing with an uncertain future in a changing NBA market. Their back-and-forth on social media was fun to watch, but it also reminded us of the very different paths two long-time teammates have taken—one reigniting his career, the other waiting to see where his lands next.