Jazz Officially Announce Simone Fontecchio Signing
Jul 27, 2022, 1:46 PM
Utah Jazz forward Simone Fotecchio (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Jazz officially announced the signing of Italian forward Simone Fontecchio.
The team made the signing official nearly two weeks after it was originally reported that Fontecchio planned to leave Europe to play with the Jazz.
Eurodevotion was first to report the news on July 17.
𝘉𝘦𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘶𝘵𝘰, @simofonte13 🖤💛https://t.co/BrrGne80el#TakeNote pic.twitter.com/DJ4GctyRG4
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) July 27, 2022
Fontecchio, 26, had been linked to the NBA already this summer and was rumored to have drawn interest from the Los Angeles Lakers before reportedly signing with the Jazz.
The Italian wing stands 6-foot-7 and averaged 11.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists while shooting 45 percent from the floor and 41 percent from the three-point line last season with Baskonia in Spain.
Fontecchio has also played for Alba Berlin in Germany and has been a regular member of the Italian National Team.
The wing provides the Jazz with some much-needed depth on the perimeter after trading forward Royce O’Neale to the Brooklyn Nets shortly after free agency opened in early July.
🧐 @simofonte13 🔫#GoazenBaskonia | 💳 https://t.co/muQFViZVKG pic.twitter.com/dUzbtZm9lL
— Baskonia (@Baskonia) July 3, 2022
O’Neale led the Jazz in total minutes played over each of the last two seasons and was one of the team’s top three-point shooting threats.
With Fontecchio, the Jazz roster stands at 14 players after the blockbuster trade that sent center Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for five players and several future draft picks.
However, much of the Jazz depth sits in the backcourt with Mike Conley, Patrick Beverley, Jared Butler, Donovan Mitchell, Malik Beasley, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Leandro Bolmaro, and Jordan Clarkson all on the roster.
Along with Fontecchio, the Jazz have Bojan Bogdanovic, Rudy Gay, Jarred Vanderbilt, Udoka Azubuike, and rookie Walker Kessler in the frontcourt.
The Jazz can carry as many as 15 players on the roster into the regular season plus two players on two-way contracts. Teams are allowed to carry 20 players including their two two-way players during the offseason.
