MIAMI – Simone Fontecchio stated he was asleep final week when he was dealt to the Miami Warmth, however now’s greater than awake to his new NBA actuality.
Dealt from the Detroit Pistons for Duncan Robinson in a transfer that received the Warmth off Robinson’s increased wage and benefited the workforce towards the wage cap, Fontecchio stated Tuesday he’s embracing the probabilities beneath Erik Spoelstra.
“I’m in Italy proper now, so I used to be asleep when every part occurred,” the native of Pescara stated. “It was a bit bit late over right here. However I used to be in a position to choose up the telephone a bit bit later.”
The Warmth would be the third NBA cease for the 29-year-old capturing specialist, with this the second time he has been traded, after breaking into the NBA with the Utah Jazz in 2022.
“I used to be sort of anticipating it, that one thing may occur, as a result of I used to be talking with my agent two days earlier than and he instructed me that one thing may occur,” Fontecchio stated on a Zoom name with Miami media. “However I’m blissful. I’m pleased with the best way every part went down and I’m actually excited.”
In being acquired for the Warmth’s all-time chief in 3-pointers, the 6-foot-7 ahead stated he appreciates the void he enters. He enters, he stated, with respect and admiration for Robinson’s physique of labor.
“Initially,” he stated, “I watched a variety of Duncan Robinson within the final three years, as a result of I feel our skillset is fairly related. In fact, he’s an amazing shooter and he did an incredible job all of the years in Miami and I used to be all the time sort of taking a look at him, the best way he was getting off pictures and I all the time sort of needed to do the identical factor.
“Yeah. I feel I can attempt to play like a bit little bit of handoffs, working off screens, do some little bit of that. However I all the time say I’m not solely a shooter, notably as a result of I shot actually unhealthy final season. You may positively not say that.”
That’s when Fontecchio paused and laughed, at simply .335 on 3-pointers final season after a career-best .426 the earlier season.
“In fact, groups see me as a shooter,” he stated, “however I’ve tried to do like as a lot as I can on the court docket, as I’ve stated earlier than, like taking the problem on protection, guarding a number of positions, rebounding the ball, attempting to push on offense. And I’m wanting ahead to doing every part that may put me on the court docket and go away me on the court docket as a lot as I can.”
And sure, in what can be a considerably dramatic shift from Robinson, he insists there’s a defensive element.
“I’m all the time fairly centered on my protection,” he stated. “The second yr I used to be with the Jazz, I used to be guarding one of the best participant on the opposite workforce most likely each time, each recreation. So it’s one thing that I take pleasure on, taking the problem and attempt to do one of the best I can on the defensive finish.
“And I feel my skillset matches proper into that, proper into the tradition and I’ll positively put increasingly more focus into that, for positive.”
All whereas nonetheless envisioning NBA development from knowledgeable profession that began practically a decade in the past with time enjoying in Italy, Germany and Spain.
“I stated this a number of occasions,” he stated, “whereas I used to be in Europe, enjoying in Europe, I used to be positively an above-average athlete enjoying abroad. Enjoying within the Euro League, I used to be most likely probably the greatest athletes within the league. Coming over, I spotted fairly clearly the physicality and the play on this league is like out of this planet.
“And never that I’m not an athlete anymore, however I’m positively like common within the league. So provided that truth, I spotted that I needed to work even tougher on my bodily half, physique. And I spent the final three, 4 offseasons attempting to work on that, to get like stronger, larger and sooner, despite the fact that I’m not a younger child any extra.”
A foot damage earlier than final season, he stated, left him on uneven footing. Now, he stated, he believes he once more can hit his stride.
“It’s been a bit up and down for me,” he stated. “I used to be coming off an damage that was a reasonably vital surgical procedure on my left foot that I had final summer season. So it was a bit little bit of chasing my greatest form everywhere in the summer season after which additionally through the common season. So I feel I used to be by no means my full self.
“However I feel I felt fairly comfy during the last two to 3 years within the NBA. I labored lots to really feel that method and I’m working even tougher proper now throughout this summer season. It’s the primary summer season after a pair years that I didn’t have any issues or damage or stuff like that, and I can actually give attention to myself, on my well being and my talent set. It’s one thing I used to be in search of, to work on it. However positively earlier than, I felt like I belonged on this league and I can do some injury. I’m wanting ahead to getting again to that type.”