Mar 21, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Detroit Pistons forward Simone Fontecchio (19) warms up before the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Detroit Pistons at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Pistons Offseason Departure Makes History at EuroBasket 2025

Originally posted on Detroit Pistons on SI
By Kevin McCormick | Last updated Sep 1, 2025 4:06 PM ET

Though it was a rather quiet offseason for the Detroit Pistons, they still had a handful of departures. As one of their outgoing players gears up for a new chapter in the NBA, they are shining on the international stage.

Amid the news that Malik Beasley was under investigation for gambling allegations, the Pistons quickly had to pivot in free agency. Trajan Langdon found a new three-point specialist to add to the roster, landing Duncan Robinson in a sign-and-trade with the Miami Heat. In exchange for the sharpshooting guard, the Pistons parted ways with forward Simone Fontecchio.

Fontecchio arrived in Detroit at the 2024 deadline, bursting on the scene in a big way. He made a strong first impression, averaging 15.4 PPG and shooting 42.6% from beyond the arc in his first 16 games. However, his first full campaign with the team did not yield similar results.

The former undrafted forward struggled to find his footing with the Pistons in 2025, resulting in a sizable decrease in production. Across 75 appearances, he averaged 5.9 PPG and 2.9 RPG on just 33.5% from beyond the arc. In light of these struggles, Langdon decided a change of scenery might be best for the 29-year-old.

Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Before Fontecchio embarks on his journey with the Heat, he is competing for his home country of Italy in EuroBasket. While he had his shortcomings with the Pistons, that has not been the case in international play.

In their latest matchup against Bosnia and Herzegovina, Italy walked out with a dominant 96-79 victory. Fontecchio was a major catalyst in the win, etching his name in the history books. He erupted for 39 points, setting a new single-game scoring record for Italy's national team.

One for the books

Fontecchio set the new single-game scoring record for Italy at #EuroBasket ✨

39 PTS | 8 REB | 3 AST | 41 EFF pic.twitter.com/2IpEIRev2L
— FIBA EuroBasket (@EuroBasket) August 31, 2025

Coming off his worst campaign in the NBA from a production standpoint, Fontecchio was in desperate need of some positive momentum. A strong run with Italy could be just what he needs to get his career back on track.

Fontecchio might be a standout performer for Italy right now, but the Pistons still made the right decision by trading him this summer. With their abundance of forwards, he was never going to have a substantial role in the rotation. The versatile wing now has a chance to carve out a bigger opportunity for himself in Miami, and Detroit secured a new three-point marksman to pair with Cade Cunningham.

This article first appeared on Detroit Pistons on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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