Heat Forward Could Give 76ers Needed Shooting Depth

The Philadelphia 76ers do not need every offseason target to be a major swing. Sometimes, the better move is finding a specific skill at the right price.

That is where Simone Fontecchio becomes interesting.

Bleacher Report listed Fontecchio as one of its bargain-bin free agents who could help every team, and the logic is easy to understand. He is not a star, and his recent production has dipped from the prominence he once held with the Utah Jazz. But for a Sixers team that could use more floor spacing around Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Paul George, and VJ Edgecombe, Fontecchio still offers a skill that translates.

He can shoot.

That sounds simple, but it still has a huge impact. Philadelphia has spent too many stretches with lineups that become easier to guard when defenses can shrink the floor. Embiid needs space to operate from the post and elbows. Maxey is at his best when driving lanes are open. George benefits when the weak side has to stay attached. Edgecombe’s development would also be helped by cleaner spacing and fewer crowded possessions.

Fontecchio would not solve all of that by himself. He is not a high-level creator, and he does not bring the kind of defensive impact that would make him a complete role player. That is part of why his market may be reasonable. Teams are not likely to chase him as a major rotation answer after a season in which his role and production slipped.

But that lower market is also what could make him useful for Philadelphia.

Fontecchio averaged 8.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.4 assists last season, modest numbers that reflect his limited role. Still, he made 37.5 percent of his threes with Miami on heavy per-minute volume. That is the reason teams should still be interested. Even when his role has changed, the shooting stroke has remained valuable.

The best version of Fontecchio in Philadelphia would be simple. He would come off the bench, space the floor, take open threes, move without the ball, and give Nick Nurse another forward-sized shooter to use in short bursts. He would not need plays called for him. He would need to punish defenses when they load up on the Sixers’ primary options.

That is the appeal of a bargain signing. The Sixers would not be betting on Fontecchio becoming more than he is. They would be betting that one valuable skill can still help.

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Wes Dixon is a contributing writer to 76ersRoundtable. He can be reached at [email protected].