The Detroit Pistons have important decisions to make this offseason. Not only do they have to decide on the futures of Malik Beasley, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Dennis Schröder, but they also need to be active on the trade market to upgrade their roster for next season. The NBA Draft is only a month away, but the Pistons just have the 37th-overall pick, which means that they have to get creative in the open market to make the necessary improvements.
Simone Fontecchio Likely to Be Traded By the Pistons in the Offseason
One of the first players they will look to trade is veteran forward Simone Fontecchio. The combo forward is entering the final year of his contract, worth $8.3 million for next season. Despite giving Detroit decent minutes in the regular season, Fontecchio wasn't trusted by J.B. Bickerstaff in the playoffs and didn't see the court. The Pistons desperately need a Tobias Harris backup and more forward depth, and if Fontecchio can't give them what they are looking for, they will almost certainly look for upgrades in the offseason.
There is a high likelihood that the Pistons will target a backup power forward with their second-round pick in the draft. Fontecchio is a capable two-way player who has solid size and can do a little bit of everything. Yet, if the Pistons coaching staff doesn't see him as a postseason-worthy player, he will only be a $8.3 million waste of cap space. He can be more valuable to another team, making him an intriguing trade chip.
Fontecchio's salary, combined with draft compensation, could net the Pistons a true difference-maker. The Pistons are in a fortunate financial situation where they can take back more salary than they give out in a trade. Considering that the Pistons don't have any dead contracts that they can just throw in a trade for salary-matching purposes, Fontecchio remains the most likely Piston to be traded this summer until further notice.