The Pistons were beginning to regret trading away Simone Fontecchio in the offseason, but his recent slump has proven them right. After a hot start to the season, Fontecchio has struggled in his last 10 games and the Heat have now lost 4 in a row. For all of Fontecchio's theoretical strengths, he wasn't able to give the Pistons the two-way impact they needed last season and hasn't done it recently for the Heat either.
Fontecchio is returning to last season's form
The Pistons traded Fontecchio to the Heat in pursuit of better shooting, which they got in Duncan Robinson. On paper, Robinson doesn't have the same defensive talent as Fontecchio but he's been competing hard enough in Detroit to avoid being a glaring weak link. Meanwhile, Fontecchio's weaknesses are getting exposed in Miami now that his shot isn't falling.
Fontecchio started the season shooting over 40% from deep as the Heat jumped out to one of the league's best offenses. But the team's efficiency, and Fontecchio's own, have cratered in recent weeks as opposing defenses figure them out. In his last 10 games, Fontecchio is averaging just 7.5 points per game while shooting 30% from the field and 21% from three.
It's no surprise for Pistons fans who saw him shoot similar percentages last season while his minutes steadily dropped. Fontecchio is also not able to provide much offensive value when his shot isn't falling due to his shaky handle and lack of playmaking. He's not a complete offensive player by any means, and the Heat are quickly seeing his flaws in action.
In Miami, Fontecchio's defense has also not been a strength. The Heat have better defensive options on the wing than him. Although he should have the size and quickness to be a versatile defender, Fontecchio isn't quite adept enough at either attribute to be a defensive strength for the Heat.
Even when Fontecchio was playing well, the Pistons had no reason to regret trading him away. He asked to be traded after seeing his playing time diminish last season. His fit on the Pistons wasn't great, even though he was meant to be the primary backup power forward. Instead, the Pistons chose to sign more defensively-minded wings, which has paid off for them so far.
Fontecchio's departure did leave a shooting void on the Pistons bench. But they are seeing that the lack of another creator is a bigger issue than a lack of shooting. The Pistons have found creative and physical ways to sustain a solid offense without shooting, but adding another creator would do wonders for the team. Fontecchio does not fit that mold, and is firmly a play finisher rather than a creator.