We are roughly two weeks removed from the conclusion of the 2025-26 Miami Heat season. Our player review series is back! Over the next several days, we will be reviewing how each Heat player performed throughout their campaign. Here is ours for Simone Fontecchio!
Brief Overview:
2025-26 stats (70 games):
- 8.5 PPG
- 3.0 RPG
- 41.2 FG%
- 37.5 3P%
- 57.9 TS%
Fontecchio spent most of his 2024-25 season dealing with a nagging hand injury. But the fourth-year forward bounced back in his first season with Miami after he was acquired in the Duncan Robinson sign-and-trade.
Fontecchio began the season as one of the league’s hottest shooters before crashing back down to earth. He found his groove once the calendar turned to 2026, where his impact began to show as a team defender and offensive rebounder. Though Fontecchio’s role began to diminish over the final few weeks due to injury, playing in just 16 of the team’s final 25 games.
Numbers to note:
58.8 – Fontecchio’s field goal percentage at the rim
As efficient as Fontecchio was, for the most part, from 3-point range, he wasn’t around the rim. The 6-foot-8 swingman had the worst finishing season of his career, converting on just 58.8 percent of his attempts, his worst since his rookie season, according to Cleaning The Glass. That number grades in just the 14th percentile. Additionally, he just shot just 32.6 percent from on short 2s, albeit on 46 attempts, placing in the 19th percentile.
36.7 – Fontecchio’s spot-up 3-point percentage
Fontecchio was a good-not-great spot-up threat for Miami. He canned 36.7 percent of those looks, the fourth-best mark on the team (min 150 3PA). Shockingly enough, he was a worse spot-up shooter than a pull-up shooter. For most players, especially one with Fontecchio’s skillset, that’s the exact opposite.
4.9 – Fontecchio’s offensive rebounding percentage
Fontecchio’s modest offensive rebound percentage isn’t anything to ride home about. But it does mark a career high. It also reminds me of what Erik Spoelstra said about his ability to impact winning when I asked him about Fontecchio’s offensive rebounding in January.
“He’s done the intangible stuff really well. That’s been a nice surprise,” he said. “He can impact the game, whether he’s making threes or not.”
Best Game?
Fontecchio saved his best for last, literally. His best game of the season was his 70th-and-final game of the season, scoring a season-high 24 points on 6-of-8 from 3-point range across 27 minutes against the Washington Wizards on April 10.
What’s next?
Fontecchio enters the summer as an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career. Miami will own his full bird rights, so he can re-sign for any amount up to the max. But it’s not likely that the Heat will want to spend beyond the mid-level exception, projected to be roughly $15.0 million, to retain him. For perspective, that’s nearly twice as much as he was making this season ($8.3M) alone.
He’s a fine role player, but one that belongs at the end of a team’s rotation — including the Heat’s. Would you re-sign him?! Let us know in the comments!
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Solid player, but the Heat have enough wings already. We need a difference maker and we definitely need a PF/C.
Simone could possibly help a good team playing at the end of their rotation, but there isn’t really a use for him for this Heat team as constructed. The Heat need to add a true big to their rotation, and are already invested in Jacquez and Jovic on the wing. At 30 years old, there isn’t really any room on this Heat roster for Fontecchio. He should have better options elsewhere, when it comes to both playing time and money.
Would be great to have Simone back, and 3PT shooting is always needed every year for 30 teams. My guess is he goes to a team with more cap room this offseason. Players justifiably do not want to sign minimum contracts unless it’s the last/only option, because then they are viewed as a minimum level player in negotiations.
Fontecchio on the offseason and Europe vs NBA:
“I think I still have a better chance of staying in the NBA,” Fontecchio told Il Centro when discussing his future. “I’m convinced the market will open up some avenues. Obviously, if it were up to me, I’d love to stay here, especially since my family has enjoyed the city.
“But one thing I’ve learned over the years: expecting anything in this world is wrong,” he added with a smile. “We’ll evaluate things in July and see.”
https://basketnews.com/news-245742-simone-fontecchio-addresses-potential-euroleague-return-and-milano-rumors.html
I like Simone but he’s a bit overpaid. Heat can get Alec Burkes for half the price.
Simone is a nice guy, plays hard, can shoot, plays taller than his actual size. But, no, I wouldn’t offer him a contract.