Jazz Exchange Land Kevin Knox, Simone Fontecchio, & More
Just over a day remained before the NBA trade deadline, and the Utah Jazz and Detroit Pistons were able to come to an agreement on a deal for forward Simone Fontecchio, 28. Fontecchio joins (for the time being) former Jazz player Bojan Bogdanovic on a league-worst Pistons team that has been in need of reinforcements.
The Washington Wizards, international prospect Gabriele Procida, and former lottery pick Kevin Knox were traded to the Jazz in exchange for a 2024 second-round pick. To find out if this was a good deal for the Jazz, let’s get into the details.
One of the biggest surprises for Jazz fans this season has been the departure of Frederic Foltecchio. He was moved up to the starting lineup in late November following a lackluster rookie campaign, and the Jazz were able to utilize him there.
Fontecchio, who stands 6-foot-8, is able to defend against bigger wings. In terms of offense, he improved to a very respectable 39% for the year.
Furthermore, Fontecchio plays with a great deal of effort every time he steps onto the court, which is a quality that not many guys have. Detroit, which is 29th in the league in three-point field goals made per game, will benefit from his presence.
When Simone becomes a restricted free agent this offseason, Detroit will try to re-sign him.
A 2024 second-round draft pick, which is expected to be among the first selections on Day 2, is the deal’s centerpiece. Yes, it is now a two-day event—the NBA draft.
In June, the front office was able to profit since Oklahoma City had most likely won the Jazz’s first-round pick. Despite being heavily criticized for its apparent lack of talent, this draft has surprisingly good depth. This means that if the Jazz want to, they can add a quality player on a fair contract.
It was a brilliant move by Danny Ainge and company that the Jazz were able to acquire an actual asset in Fontecchio, who they brought over as a 27-year-old rookie after signing him out of Italy.
The former No. 9 overall pick in the 2018 draft out of Kentucky, Kevin Knox, who has been around in search of a long-term home, was also added by the Jazz to the roster. The 24-year-old 6-foot-7 wing is still quite young.
On a career-high 46.2% shooting clip, Knox is averaging 7.2 points and 2.4 rebounds per game this season. Knox, whose contract is about toexpire, will, at the very least, provide the Jazz with an athletic wing toassess over the coming months before determining whether to
Here’s a video of Knox making six three-pointers against the Jazz from last season to refresh your memory.
Finally, the 6-foot-7 Italian wing Gabriele Procida’s draft rights were purchased by the Jazz. Procida was not a throw-in when he was included in the Fontecchio trade; he was the 36th pick in the 2022 NBA draft.
Procida has some legitimate tools, so whether or not the Jazz try to bring him over from Europe in the upcoming years will probably be something to watch.
The Jazz have not wavered in their resolve to establish a competitive team in Salt Lake City. Even though Fontecchio was a valuable role player, Utah probably didn’t have long-term plans for him.
The Jazz decided to acquire some assets because Ochai Agbaji, Taylor Hendricks, and Brice Sensabaugh all needed NBA minutes, and they performed incredibly well. Fontecchio’s next contract could fetch over $10 million a year, and with his impending free agency and speculations about his potential, the Jazz did well to sell high on the Italian forward.
I anticipate that the young players will fill in these voids with skill and effort, hopefully to the point where the Jazz are able to maintain their upward trend in the standings.
As the trade season comes to a close, the Jazz most likely have more deals in store. Pay attention.
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