The Philadelphia 76ers have an interesting decision to make this offseason with regard to Kelly Oubre Jr. The veteran forward will be hitting the open market anew this summer, but this time, the team is in a more precarious footing as he is widely expected to command a considerable pay raise in his next deal. As such, the prospect of him leaving for greener pastures is more real than contrived.
To that effect, the new 76ers brain trust should be hatching a backup plan if they are unable to convince Oubre to stay. One player they should watch out for to possibly replace him is Simone Fontecchio, another free agent looking for a new contract. He will be entering his fifth year in the league next season, and his hypothetical fit in Philly is easy to like.
The Italian forward spent this season with the Heat, being a part of their bench mob which ranked fourth in the league in scoring. In just under 17 minutes a night, he averaged 8.5 points, three rebounds, and 1.4 assists per outing, canning nearly two three-pointers on the average at a 37.5 percent shooting clip from beyond the arc.
The 76ers could target Simone Fontecchio to replace Kelly Oubre in free agency
Fontecchio might be relatively new to the NBA, but he is no basketball neophyte. At 30 years old, he has ample experience under his belt, but more importantly, his skill set figures to fit this 76ers group particularly well.
The 76ers clearly need more size, and Fontecchio brings a good amount of ranginess with his 6'7" frame. He is primarily a spot-up shooter who does not do a lot of independent creation for himself or for others, but he has good court awareness and is someone who is willing to make the extra pass and keep the ball moving. That is a combination that Philly had lacked since Nic Batum left them.
On defense, Fontecchio is at least passable. While he will wow no one with his foot speed, he is able to keep up with more stationary players, where the 76ers could thereotically assign him on anyway.
With Oubre's price tag expected to soar, the 76ers will be cudgeled into a war of attrition money-wise where they cannot really last. That makes it all the more appealing for them to zoom in on Fontecchio, who will not command as much money despite having the chance to be a more foolproof option anyway.
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