JB Bickerstaff has mostly stuck to a 9-10 man rotation so far in his first season with the Detroit Pistons.
Unlike previous years, the players all have clear roles, which has been a positive for the development of the young players, who know what is expected of them every night, roughly how much they will play and when.
If you had to name one player in the regular rotation who really doesn’t fit that mold, it would be Simone Fontecchio, who has yet to carve out a clear role for himself after a strong finish to last season with the Pistons and signing a two-year deal.
That deal looked like a steal after Fontecchio averaged 15 a game on strong shooting splits in his brief time with the Pistons, but offseason veteran additions (and a toe surgery) have pushed him to a lesser role and he hasn’t been able to adapt.
It shows in the numbers, where Tek is shooting just 40 percent from the floor overall and 34 percent from long range.
It also shows in the eye test, where Fontecchio doesn’t offer much if he is not hitting shots. He’s not a great defender, doesn’t grab many rebounds and I cringe every time he puts the ball on the floor, which usually ends in disaster.
He’s been lost in the shuffle this season and has not had the kind of impact we thought he might when the Pistons traded for him and then inked him to a modest two-year deal.
After playing just over 12 minutes against the Pacers, Fontecchio got just 11:56 of run yesterday against Houston, scoring zero points.
Given the solid play of guys like Marcus Sasser and Ron Holland II, you do have to wonder how much longer Bickerstaff will stick with Fontecchio in the rotation, as right now, those players are making a bigger impact and deserve more minutes.
What does that mean for Fontecchio?
Simone Fontecchio could be traded at the deadline
I doubt the Pistons are actively shopping Fontecchio, but there are a number of teams that could call about him before the deadline.
He’s on a good deal, and in the right situation, we know he can hit shots, and plenty of contenders (teams like OKC, New York or Orlando) could use more 3-point shooting.
Fontecchio also has a deal that would be easy to move, as it only has one more season at a moderate $8 million, a number that would be easy for most teams to absorb.
He could be used as a sweetener in a trade or just to match salaries, but either way, I wouldn’t be shocked if Fontecchio were dealt given his dwindling role in the rotation.
Though neither of them are good shooters, the Pistons have two #5 draft picks at Tek’s position, guys whose defense is important to what Detroit is building.
This could all change with some strong outings from Fontecchio, who could still have value to this team if he starts hitting shots.
But right now, he’s just getting 12 minutes of cardio and it might be better for him and the team if they explore other options.