Simone Fontecchio (illness) upgraded to probable

Simone has been more of an emergency depth option for the heat this year, so even though he’s available, he’s not expected to make a major impact in fantasy leagues.

Fontecchio could be back after missing Wednesday’s game against Atlanta. He didn’t see the floor in each of the last two games he was available for, so his status won’t alter the Miami rotation.

Fontecchio was initially listed as doubtful for this game and has now officially been sidelined. He has played a grand total of six minutes this season and didn’t see the floor in either of Miami’s last two games, so his absence won’t alter the team’s rotation.

Fontecchio has averaged only three minutes across two contests this season, so his availability won’t impact fantasy hoops.

Much has been made about Miami’s need for spacers, with most of the conversation focused on Klay Thompson and Tim Hardaway Jr. (and with good reason). But Fontecchio is another capable shooter, and he’s coming off a season in which he made 37.5 percent of his three-point attempts. Against the Timberwolves, he made four of seven attempts. Fontecchio offered little beyond points and three-pointers, and that’s likely to be the norm during the regular season.

Fontecchio played 70 games in his first season with the Heat, averaging 8.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.8 three-pointers in 16.8 minutes. While the 6-foot-7 forward has rarely affected fantasy basketball, the Heat’s need for shooters around Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo means that he should once again log rotation minutes in 2026-27. Last season, Fontecchio shot 37.5 percent from beyond the arc, an improvement of four percentage points from his 2024-25 number in Detroit (33.5 percent).

Fontecchio will not play on Sunday after being considered probable on the initial report released on Saturday. Tyler Herro is available and was going to reclaim his spot in the starting lineup, regardless of Fontecchio’s status.

Initially probable for Sunday’s game, Fontecchio is trending in the wrong direction on availability. Tyler Herro will be available after sitting out Friday’s win over the Wizards; he’ll regain his spot in the starting lineup regardless of what happens with Fontecchio.

Fontecchio is dealing with a sore left ankle, but the probable tag suggests he’s on track to play. He started Friday’s win over the Wizards and scored 24 points, knocking down six three-pointers.

Herro and Mitchell are available for Sunday’s regular-season finale after not playing in Friday’s win over the Wizards. Their returns will push Simone Fontecchio and Kasparas Jakučionis to the bench, with the former offering a higher ceiling when used in a reserve role. A win over the Hawks, combined with a Hornets loss to the Knicks, would move Miami into the No. 9 seed. They would host the 9 vs. 10 game on Wednesday night.