Over the course of this offseason, the Sacramento Kings will be working on building up their wing depth. That means hitting both the draft and free agency to shore up their forwards. One free agent worth considering is Simone Fontecchio, a savvy bench forward who could help close that gap.
After playing in Europe from 2012 to 2022, the Italian small forward made the leap to the NBA after being signed by the Jazz. He played two seasons in Utah before spending one in Detroit and then moving on to Miami for the 2025-2026 season. Now, he is an unrestricted free agent.
He did actually declare for the 2017 NBA Draft, but wasn't actually selected by any of the teams. Fontecchio simply continued his already five-year-old career in Europe, which helped him develop and season his skills. He was a 10 year veteran before setting foot in the NBA for the first time.
Now at the age of 30, Fontecchio is an experienced bench guy who has been around the league long enough to understand how it works. Being that the Kings are laser focused on youth and versatility, having another veteran like Fontecchio around is a good thing for their development.
Fontecchio brings the experience and fire
The nice thing about Fontecchio's age is that he's old enough to be a source of guidance for the rookies. At the same time, he's not so far over 30 that everyone is speculating about his retirement. This isn't Russell Westbrook, keeping in mind that any athlete would be happy to be playing like him.
What makes Fontecchio compelling is his high basketball IQ and how he puts that into use as a small forward. He's a sizable wing with the ability to defend any position while also shooting a reliable three. That makes him one heck of a floor spacer for a team like Sacramento.
On the downside, he's not much of a secondary playmaker. Fontecchio can score, but he's not the guy who will take the defense to the rack off the dribble. There are also consistency issues. His shot is good, but it also comes and goes. It has to be automatic for him to be a key guy for any team.
Look, no one is suggesting that Fontecchio is a perfect player. If he was, the Jazz never would have let him go. Regardless, the Kings need greater wing depth and that's a fact. Fontecchio could add that into the Sacramento system almost immediately and with little time to orient himself.
