Simone Fontecchio averaged 8.9 points this season with the Jazz.
The Utah Jazz have dealt forward Simone Fontecchio to the Detroit Pistons, the teams announced on Thursday. In the swap, Fontecchio heads to Detroit for swingman Kevin Knox, a future second-round pick and the rights to Gabriele Procida (who was selected No. 36 overall in the 2022 Draft).
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports that the second-round pick will be for 2024.
Pistons receive:
- Simone Fontecchio
Jazz receive:
- Kevin Knox
- Rights to Gabriele Procida
- 2024 second-round pick
What trade means: Fontecchio was signed by the Jazz before the 2022-23 season after a successful career playing in Italy. After posting 6.3 points and 1.7 rebounds per game last season, Fontecchio has improved this season with averages of 8.9 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 50 games for Utah.
Detroit is in the midst of a rebuild and Fontecchio should give the Pistons some further options on the perimeter as he joins a group that includes former No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham, rookie Ausar Thompson, veteran Bojan Bogdanovic and several others. Per Wojnarowski, the Pistons made the trade because they view Fontecchio — who will be a restricted free agent this summer — as a part of their future core.
For Knox, playing for the Jazz will mark his fifth team after being selected No. 9 overall by the New York Knicks in the 2018 Draft. He has been a regular rotation player for the Pistons, averaging 7.2 points and 2.4 rebounds in 31 games, the majority of which have come off the bench.
