The Miami Heat didn’t just stop after landing Giannis Antetokounmpo. They’re now filling out the roster around him, and that means adding shooters who can actually space the floor. The first move in that direction? Bringing back Simone Fontecchio.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Fontecchio and the Heat have agreed to a one-year contract to return. The 30-year-old forward joined Miami last season via a sign-and-trade that sent Duncan Robinson to Detroit. Now he’s back, presumably to knock down threes and give the offense a little breathing room.
“Free agent Simone Fontecchio intends to sign a one-year deal to return to the Miami Heat, sources tell ESPN. Heat officials worked with Fontecchio’s agent at Excel Sports Management, Sam Goldfeder, to bring back the shooter,” Charania wrote on X.
The financial details weren’t released right away, but Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel confirmed it’s a minimum deal. Fontecchio will make $2.8 million next season, though his cap hit is just $2.5 million thanks to how the minimum scale works. For a team that’s already paying Giannis and others, every little bit of cap flexibility helps.
What Fontecchio Brings to the Table
Fontecchio’s first season in Miami was uneven. He averaged 8.5 points on 41.2 percent shooting from the field and 37.5 percent from three on about 4.7 attempts per game. Those numbers aren’t eye-popping, but considering the Heat just traded away a chunk of their perimeter shooting to get Antetokounmpo, having a 6-foot-7 wing who can stretch defenses is a real need.
His size is the other part of it. The Heat aren’t exactly huge on the wings, and Fontecchio at least gives them a big-bodied shooter who can guard multiple positions. In a league where everyone wants 3-and-D wings, he’s a low-cost option that fits the mold.
The Heat now have 11 players on standard contracts heading into free agency, which officially opened Tuesday night. Who else they bring in is still up in the air, but bringing back a familiar face who knows the system — and can knock down an open shot — is a solid start.
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