Simone Fontecchio Returns for Winless Heat, But Don't Expect a Miracle

Simone Fontecchio has officially kicked his illness and is available to play for the Miami Heat on Friday night against the Indiana Pacers. Underdog NBA relayed the update, clearing the way for the veteran wing to return to the active roster.

Getting a bench shooter back from the sniffles is not exactly a franchise-altering event, but the Heat are currently operating in pure survival mode. Miami is off to a miserable 0-4 start to the season, and Erik Spoelstra is at the point where he will gladly accept any warm body capable of lacing up sneakers.

"Underdog NBA reported: 'Simone Fontecchio (illness) available to play Friday.'"

Fontecchio sat out Wednesday's loss to the Atlanta Hawks. Before the illness, his impact on the floor was practically a rumor. Through two appearances this season, he is averaging zero points and half a rebound.

The vibes in South Beach are currently in the basement. Bam Adebayo is already taking public blame for the winless start while shooting a rough 40 percent from the floor and averaging just 11.8 points. When your star center is issuing apologies in October, a minor rotation update feels like putting a band-aid on a broken leg.

Anyone looking at the prop market should probably temper their expectations. RotoWire noted that while Fontecchio is available, he might not even see a meaningful role off the bench. You do not want to tie your money to a guy who might spend 48 minutes high-fiving his teammates.

To be fair, Fontecchio does have a track record of providing actual spacing. He shot over 42 percent from three during his stint with the Detroit Pistons last season. If Miami wants to unclog the paint for Adebayo, throwing the Italian forward into the mix is not the worst idea.

We will find out exactly how desperate Spoelstra is when the ball tips against the Pacers. If Fontecchio stays glued to the bench and the Heat drop to 0-5, the panic meter in Miami is going to shatter completely.