FEBRUARY 8: The Jazz and Pistons have officially completed their deal, issuing press releases to confirm the move.
FEBRUARY 7: The Jazz and Pistons have agreed to a trade that will send forward Simone Fontecchio to Detroit in exchange for a 2024 second-round pick, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).
That 2024 draft pick will be the more favorable of the Wizards’ and Grizzlies’ second-rounders, since that’s the only ’24 second-round selection the Pistons control, as Zach Lowe of ESPN confirms (via Twitter).
In addition to that pick, Utah is acquiring Detroit forward Kevin Knox, reports James L. Edwards III of The Athletic (via Twitter). The Jazz will also receive the rights to Gabriele Procida, the 36th overall pick in the 2022 draft, Wojnarowski adds (via Twitter).
An Italian forward who played in Europe for a decade before making the move to the NBA, Fontecchio signed a two-year, $6.25MM contract with the Jazz during the 2022 offseason. He played a modest rotation role in 52 games as a rookie, but has seen his minutes increase in 2023/24.
Fontecchio has averaged 8.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 23.2 minutes per game across 50 appearances (34 starts) this season, posting a solid shooting line of .450/.391/.800 while attempting 4.7 three-point shots per night. He reportedly drew recent trade interest from the Celtics, Suns, and Cavaliers, among others, so Detroit may have had to outbid a few rival suitors to land him.
The Pistons view Fontecchio as a player whom they’ll retain beyond this season, according to Wojnarowski (Twitter link). Although he’s on an expiring contract, the 28-year-old will be eligible for restricted free agency this summer and Detroit will control his Early Bird rights in addition to projecting to have no shortage of cap space, so the club is well positioned to re-sign him.
In exchange for Fontecchio, the Jazz will receive a draft pick that figures to land near the top of the 2024 second round, as well as Procida, a 21-year-old draft-and-stash prospect who was selected early in the second round two years ago. The Wizards’ 2024 second-rounder currently projects to be No. 32 overall, while Procida – another Italian wing – is playing for Alba Berlin in Germany.
Utah will also receive Knox, a former lottery pick who is unlikely to replicate Fontecchio’s role or his production – especially from the three-point line – and essentially functions as a salary-matching piece. However, it’s possible he’ll get an opportunity to vie for rotation minutes as the 10th-seeded Jazz fight for a play-in spot. The 24-year-old averaged 7.2 PPG and 2.4 RPG on .462/.330/.909 shooting in 31 games (18.1 MPG) for Detroit.
Knox was signed by the Pistons on November 8, meaning he’ll become trade-eligible just ahead of Thursday’s deadline. Sending him out for salary-matching purposes will allow Detroit to retain the $5.7MM trade exception the team generated in last month’s deal with the Wizards.
The Jazz, meanwhile, will be able to take on Knox’s minimum-salary contract using the minimum salary exception, allowing them to create a new trade exception worth just north of $3MM for Fontecchio.
The Pistons are a weird team lol #backtomediocrity
I’d imagine the Pistons wanted to get Fontecchio to replace Bojan after they trade him
Wow that is a dumb trade by the Pistons and a great trade by Utah. A very high 2nd round pick for a guy who will be a free agent to a team that struggles. Pistons are their own worse enemy.
Fontecchio will be a RFA with a tiny cap hold who is unlikely to command more than the amount allowed by Early Bird rights.
Piston’s could have received a better player for that pick than somebody who is not a starter. Bad teams need to hold onto their picks and draft players that will be future star potential than a rotation player.
It was a 2nd round pick first off. And secondly Fontecchio has started 34 of 50 games he has played in this season.
i don’t get this deal? What does this accomplish? Depth when Bojan gets traded? So Troy Weaver thinks a 28 year old who is in his 2nd year in the NBA provided more value than a potential 32nd pick of a weak draft class this year?
What in the world are Pistons doing?
wow thats basically a late 1st round pick, cause its the more favorable of wizards and grizzles, two of the bottom 3 teams
Looks like BoGo is on the move. Danny Ainge got 3 players for a free agent European signing. He is the man! Hopefully Kessler will be starting.
Possibly, or Ochoa takes Simone’s spot.
I know Walker is the future but Collins has been playing great lately as the starting center
Ochai*
Huh
Is this a biggest trade so far?
Hope not.
Did you completely forget about the OG and Siakam trades?
Can’t even really qualify it as “at the deadline”, so no, in general.
Being able to acquire the draft rights to Gabriele Procida puts this over the top as a Jazz win. I loved him when scouting for the 2022 draft. Could’ve easily been a first rounder that year.
Detroit’s front office is, as expected, all in on trying to not get canned. This is exactly why you fire essentially lame duck executives before the deadline to prevent trades like this. It’s not outright terrible as I do like Fontecchio, but losing an early 2nd pick—arguably more valuable than a late 1st—isn’t smart even in a weak draft class. And for all his struggles since being drafted, I liked Procida coming out of the draft so maybe there is still something there.
I get the Pistons wanting to bolster their veteran depth given the nightmare season, but there were likely better ways to accomplish that without giving up valuable picks for okay talent. Rushing into being barely competent is a weird strategy.
Yeah, I don’t get this for the Pistons. Simone makes sense for a team like the Celtics or Knicks, playoff calibre teams that could use to add to the front court. Detroit giving effectively two 2nds for a guy who doesn’t fit their timeline or current standing in the NBA.
Troy Weaver has killed the Pistons.
Now, maybe, DET can make a deep run, at avoiding the worst record in NBA history.
Seriously, DET is an example of the typical modern NBA FO. All they can do is blow things up and collect pieces. The job is (at least it should be) to put a team together, and that doesn’t start after blowing things up and collecting pieces. It starts when they’re hired.
The shame of it all is that Weaver is actually a good talent evaluator. His “oft-script” draft picks have been, on the whole, very good. He’s identifies talent available at a discount well. Unfortunately, all of that, is a small part of his job. He needs to go back to being a FO assistant in the talent evaluation area, or just leave and become an awesome fantasy player or even a champion 2k’er.
Whoever is running the Pistons should be fired immediately. 2 2nd round picks plus Kevin Knox is a lot to pay for Fontecchio. Obviously Bogdanovic is on the move. If Fontecchio can handle a larger role perhaps Bogdanovic can be traded for a need or picks. That said it is hard to see a 28 year old being around for the entire rebuild
“The Pistons are terrible because they have no veteran leadership”!
“The Pistons are stupid to retain veterans like Bogey and Burks, they don’t fit with the team’s current timeline”.
“This trade makes no sense. Why are trading a 2nd rounder for 28 year old Simone Fontecchio”?
Make up your minds guys. Do they need vets or not?
I’d have given up 1-2 mid 2nd round picks for him, but not a likely very early 2nd and Procida. It’s questionable asset management for a team at the bottom of the barrel currently.
So 2 2nd Rd picks for a starting caliber stretch 4 who can knock down 3 at a high percentage… All you online GM’s can you please tell me who in the upcoming draft was going to be available that has more production value than Simone? If you haven’t noticed our team is full of unproven talents taking a gamble on a known commodity is a win for the pistons… Now they have the flexibility to let either bogy or strewert leave via trade.. weaver is not done this is just a move to add a starting caliber player that can creat space for cade and company.. let’s see the whole picture before we judge the trade… If this is the last move we make then it’s a questionable trade but my guess is this is just the first steps to trading bogy or stewert
Fontecchio is far from a proven commodity or even a proven rotation piece.
My guess is this trade gives the Jazz more pieces to use by tomorrow.
Nobody seems to be willing to part with 1st round picks so high second round picks are about the best you can hope for.
Don’t know enough about the stash guy, but Knox was a decent player at one point. Will wait until after the deadline to assess everything.
Fontecchio was giving the Jazz quality minutes, thought he could of been part of a package for a bigger name. I guess if there isn’t any available and since he’ll be an RFA they might as well get something for him.
Trade just to make a trade. Knox barely plays or impacts a game and Pistons are going are a bottom 3 team.
I hate Troy Weaver he’s the new Matt Millen of Detroit. Please fire this guy as soon as possible!!!
Simone Fontecchio is a winner – Piston fans you will change your tune as you see him play.
He’s a hustle player focused on the team winning who plays fantastic defense and hits 3s. His move to the starting lineup helped the Jazz turn around a season where they looked as bad as Portland.
If you want guys who make the team better when they play you want Simone Fontecchio. Trust me that he is better than yet another draft pick that goes no-where, he’s much better.
The only thing that makes sense to include Procida is that he wasn’t going to sign with Detroit. This trade makes zero sense. Not trying to knock Fontecchio or anything but to be honest I never heard of him until now. Troy Weaver is a good talent evaluator but he’s been horrible at constructing the Pistons. Next move he makes is to trade for a bad contract from a playoff team for their first round pick and there goes the salary cap space..
Hope someone fails their physical. Don’t like it for either team
The jazz can always get the Fons back next year too! Lol
Jazz can make a qualifying offer and force the pistons into over paying. Jazz then get their guy back plus keep the trade assets received.
Nasty move …
I don’t like this one and the Hayward trade the most