Simone Fontecchio, new Detroit Pistons show promise in debut: 'I was super impressed'
LOS ANGELES — It’s always a challenge — physically, emotionally and logistically — for NBA players who are traded in the middle of a season. That was especially true for three of Detroit Pistons’ six trade deadline acquisitions, who made their debuts on Saturday in Los Angeles.
Simone Fontecchio, Troy Brown Jr. and Shake Milton weren’t able to practice or go through a shootaround before they entered Saturday’s game — a 112-106 loss to the Clippers — in the first quarter. All three were dealt to the Pistons on Wednesday and flew to Detroit to take their physicals before joining the team in Los Angeles Friday night.
Because it was a 12:30 p.m. matinee in Los Angeles, they only had a little time to review film with the coaching staff before the game.
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“Obviously it was a little bit shocking — I have a family, I have a wife, I have a daughter,” Fontecchio said. “It was a lot for them to take. But everybody is supporting me and my family is still the most important thing for me.
“This morning, I got up and hooped. That was the mindset.”
He hooped, indeed. The 6-foot-7 Italian forward spent the most time on the floor and had the strongest debut of the three, finishing with 20 points and nine rebounds in 32 minutes. Brown and Milton also had impressive moments, with the former scoring eight points and hitting a pair of 3-pointers and the latter recording four points and a steal.
They all were able to contribute for a Pistons team that won back-to-back road games over the Sacramento Kings and Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday and Thursday. The expectation is that, as they acclimate themselves to the playbook, terminology and their new surroundings, they’ll continue to get better.
“They were like, 'Go out there and hoop,” Fontecchio said. “'We’re not expecting you to play perfect defense and offense not knowing the sets, not knowing anything, basically. Go out there and have fun, be you and play as hard as you can.' That’s what I always do and what I always try to do.”
Head coach Monty Williams placed his faith in the trio early, as they closed out the first quarter alongside Marcus Sasser and James Wiseman. They were pivotal during a surge to close the quarter, trimming a 10-point deficit to one. Fontecchio and Brown hit two 3-pointers apiece during the run, and both players also played significant fourth-quarter minutes.
Cade Cunningham and the coaching staff walked all three players through their plays and calls during the game.
“They’ve been doing great,” Brown said of the coaching staff after the game. “I got my shots up and then we literally sat on the sideline for, like, 25 minutes just watching film, going over the lingo."
Brown pointed to a thick book of plays and terminology behind him. “I have a whole page back here full of the lingo with the team. It’s an adjustment process, but they’re definitely doing a great job.”
“I was super-impressed,” Cunningham said. “No practice. Just the way they were able to use their feel for the game to be in the right spots, and just be themselves was huge for us. They’re going to be huge additions for us.”
It has been a disappointing season for the Pistons, who have an NBA-worst eight wins with 30 games remaining. That’s not the impression the newcomers have gotten so far, though. Detroit has won four of its past nine games, including upsets over the playoff-contending Kings and Oklahoma City Thunder. They led the Clippers by as many as 12 points before going cold late.
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And more players are still arriving. The other three deadline acquisitions — Quentin Grimes, Evan Fournier and Malachi Flynn — will likely make their debuts on Tuesday against the Los Angeles Lakers. Soon, the Pistons will have a full roster as they look to finish the season on a strong note.
“The competitiveness, the togetherness and also the spirit,” Milton said of what stands out about the team. “Being in the locker room, you wouldn’t even know what it was. Guys are together, guys are out there with the same mentality. You can just see it’s not going to be too long until things start happening.”
The front office prioritized adding shooting and defense at the deadline. Fontecchio and Brown, as well as Grimes, check both boxes. Fontecchio is shooting 39.1% from 3 this season, and Brown is a skilled on-ball defender making 36.9% of his attempts from deep.
“I think I’m a better on-ball defender,” Brown said. “I do like quarterbacking and being a good help defender. If I have the weakest guy on the court and I can help quarterback the defense and make rotations for guys if they don’t see it, that too. And then just try to defensively rebound.”
It was initially a rough start for Fontecchio, whose first two possessions ended with a turnover and an airballed 3-pointer. Once he found his shooting rhythm, it was immediately apparent why the franchise views him as a long-term rotation player.
“He comes right in and plays 32 minutes and is productive across the board,” Williams said. “His ability to not just shoot the ball but attack the basket. He certainly can guard, and once he picks up the schemes and what we’re doing, he’s going to be even more comfortable. Being more comfortable will make him better.
“Shake can score the ball. He had a tough and-1 foul on (James) Harden, but other than that I thought he was pretty solid. Troy spaces the floor, he had a tough shot in the corner. I thought they came out and played their games within the system. I told those guys that very thing, just be who you are until you pick up what we’re doing.”
Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him @omarisankofa.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Simone Fontecchio, other new Pistons show promise in loss to Clippers
