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The confident Croatian needs nurturing, but the Magic’s antsy offseason threatens his development

Mario Hezonja hasn’t had a chance to live up to the hype. He was dubbed the “European J.R. Smith” due to his ability to shoot 3s and play above the rim, as well as an aggressive style of play that bordered on arrogance. The Magic drafted him at no. 5 overall, but the minutes and shots just weren’t there for him in his rookie season. He was behind Elfrid Payton, Victor Oladipo, Evan Fournier, Tobias Harris, and Aaron Gordon in the pecking order, and it’s hard to play with much pizzazz running off screens and spotting up off the ball. The Magic have accumulated plenty of talent in the post–Dwight Howard era, but they have never figured out how to put it all together.

Hezonja’s inability to stay on the floor was compounded by his poor grasp of Orlando’s defensive schemes. Like most rookies, Hezonja was lost off the ball, not keeping track of his man or staying connected when chasing him through screens, and not making the proper rotations as a help-side defender. He is big and athletic enough to eventually become a plus defender, but he will have a hard time earning Vogel’s trust until he learns to correct some of the mental mistakes he made last season.

He logged minutes as a small-ball power forward, too. Playing in smaller lineups showcased his athleticism; he was burning slower players in transition and getting down the floor in an awful hurry. It’s easy to get excited about Hezonja when he’s playing in space: He’s a 6-foot-8 jet with great top-end speed and a quick release from anywhere on the court.
But he struggles to translate that athleticism when playing in the half court. Hezonja doesn’t get as many rebounds (6.9 percent rebound rate), steals (1.4 percent), or blocks (1 percent) as you would expect for a guy with his physical tools. He’s not particularly long for his height, so he has to put himself in the right positions to get his hands on balls. What might help is sliding him down the position spectrum, rather than up. Hezonja is bigger and faster than Klay Thompson, for example, who spends a lot of time chasing down smaller point guards for the Warriors. Putting Hezonja in a similar situation would give him a huge edge in size and length. The Magic could run the offense through Fournier and Gordon on the wings and switch everything with Biyombo and Ibaka upfront. Thompson is the blueprint for what Hezonja can become, but he’s a long way from that — and it’s hard to compare anyone to Klay, a player who has maxed out his talent so completely since getting drafted.

He’s a straight-line driver without a ton of shake off the dribble, and his inability to create space is why he settled for a lot of contested jumpers as a rookie. He can take and make tough shots, but the best scorers in the NBA tend to have more versatility in their games; it’s hard to be an efficient offensive player when you rarely go to the free throw line.

At this point, the math doesn’t add up to Hezonja having a starring role for Orlando in the upcoming season. The Magic have a logjam in the frontcourt, with Vucevic, Biyombo, and Ibaka expecting to play big minutes at the interior positions, causing a domino effect to the rest of their lineup. That pushes Jeff Green and Aaron Gordon down a position to the 3, even though both are most effective at the 4, which forces Fournier and Hezonja to play primarily as 2s, with Fournier likely getting most of the minutes, after signing an $85 million contract in the offseason. The presence of Elfrid Payton and Augustin means there’s not much room at the 1, leaving Hezonja with another 15–20 minute role off the bench.

The Magic could make him the sixth man and let him run the second unit, a role Fournier and Oladipo filled last season. The question becomes whether he would be playing with Biyombo or Vucevic at center. Vucevic would demand the ball in the post if he’s coming off the bench, while Biyombo is a better roll man more comfortable in the uptempo offense well-suited to Hezonja’s game. There are no easy answers for Vogel, since Biyombo would improve the starting unit’s defense at the expense of its floor spacing, which will be an issue playing next to two non-shooters in Gordon and Payton. One way to balance defense and shooting while also creating more playing time for Hezonja, would be sliding Ibaka to center and Gordon to power forward, but that would mean benching one of their high-priced big men in favor of an unproven second-year player.

Playing Ibaka, Gordon, Hezonja, and Fournier together would give the Magic a lineup that could switch screens, spread the floor, and play uptempo, where Hezonja is most effective. Vogel needs to figure out the best way to maximize his game, because he could be the last top-five pick the Magic have for a long time. Hezonja has the tools to be a high-level, two-way player, but his skill set isn’t one that can transcend any situation. So much of a young player’s success in the NBA depends on being in the right place at the right time, and that hasn’t happened yet for Hezonja. He’s only 21, so he still has plenty of time, but his team won’t be waiting around.

YosemiteSam wrote:Don't think I've seen this posted yet:

Can Mario Hezonja Find the Time to Thrive in Orlando?

The confident Croatian needs nurturing, but the Magic’s antsy offseason threatens his development

Mario Hezonja hasn’t had a chance to live up to the hype. He was dubbed the “European J.R. Smith” due to his ability to shoot 3s and play above the rim, as well as an aggressive style of play that bordered on arrogance. The Magic drafted him at no. 5 overall, but the minutes and shots just weren’t there for him in his rookie season. He was behind Elfrid Payton, Victor Oladipo, Evan Fournier, Tobias Harris, and Aaron Gordon in the pecking order, and it’s hard to play with much pizzazz running off screens and spotting up off the ball. The Magic have accumulated plenty of talent in the post–Dwight Howard era, but they have never figured out how to put it all together.

Hezonja’s inability to stay on the floor was compounded by his poor grasp of Orlando’s defensive schemes. Like most rookies, Hezonja was lost off the ball, not keeping track of his man or staying connected when chasing him through screens, and not making the proper rotations as a help-side defender. He is big and athletic enough to eventually become a plus defender, but he will have a hard time earning Vogel’s trust until he learns to correct some of the mental mistakes he made last season.

He logged minutes as a small-ball power forward, too. Playing in smaller lineups showcased his athleticism; he was burning slower players in transition and getting down the floor in an awful hurry. It’s easy to get excited about Hezonja when he’s playing in space: He’s a 6-foot-8 jet with great top-end speed and a quick release from anywhere on the court.
But he struggles to translate that athleticism when playing in the half court. Hezonja doesn’t get as many rebounds (6.9 percent rebound rate), steals (1.4 percent), or blocks (1 percent) as you would expect for a guy with his physical tools. He’s not particularly long for his height, so he has to put himself in the right positions to get his hands on balls. What might help is sliding him down the position spectrum, rather than up. Hezonja is bigger and faster than Klay Thompson, for example, who spends a lot of time chasing down smaller point guards for the Warriors. Putting Hezonja in a similar situation would give him a huge edge in size and length. The Magic could run the offense through Fournier and Gordon on the wings and switch everything with Biyombo and Ibaka upfront. Thompson is the blueprint for what Hezonja can become, but he’s a long way from that — and it’s hard to compare anyone to Klay, a player who has maxed out his talent so completely since getting drafted.

He’s a straight-line driver without a ton of shake off the dribble, and his inability to create space is why he settled for a lot of contested jumpers as a rookie. He can take and make tough shots, but the best scorers in the NBA tend to have more versatility in their games; it’s hard to be an efficient offensive player when you rarely go to the free throw line.

At this point, the math doesn’t add up to Hezonja having a starring role for Orlando in the upcoming season. The Magic have a logjam in the frontcourt, with Vucevic, Biyombo, and Ibaka expecting to play big minutes at the interior positions, causing a domino effect to the rest of their lineup. That pushes Jeff Green and Aaron Gordon down a position to the 3, even though both are most effective at the 4, which forces Fournier and Hezonja to play primarily as 2s, with Fournier likely getting most of the minutes, after signing an $85 million contract in the offseason. The presence of Elfrid Payton and Augustin means there’s not much room at the 1, leaving Hezonja with another 15–20 minute role off the bench.

The Magic could make him the sixth man and let him run the second unit, a role Fournier and Oladipo filled last season. The question becomes whether he would be playing with Biyombo or Vucevic at center. Vucevic would demand the ball in the post if he’s coming off the bench, while Biyombo is a better roll man more comfortable in the uptempo offense well-suited to Hezonja’s game. There are no easy answers for Vogel, since Biyombo would improve the starting unit’s defense at the expense of its floor spacing, which will be an issue playing next to two non-shooters in Gordon and Payton. One way to balance defense and shooting while also creating more playing time for Hezonja, would be sliding Ibaka to center and Gordon to power forward, but that would mean benching one of their high-priced big men in favor of an unproven second-year player.

Playing Ibaka, Gordon, Hezonja, and Fournier together would give the Magic a lineup that could switch screens, spread the floor, and play uptempo, where Hezonja is most effective. Vogel needs to figure out the best way to maximize his game, because he could be the last top-five pick the Magic have for a long time. Hezonja has the tools to be a high-level, two-way player, but his skill set isn’t one that can transcend any situation. So much of a young player’s success in the NBA depends on being in the right place at the right time, and that hasn’t happened yet for Hezonja. He’s only 21, so he still has plenty of time, but his team won’t be waiting around.

Zmill wrote:I am a bit worried that Hezonja turns into a JR Smith/Mike Miller guy moreso than Klay. And this feeling is compounded by how good last year's draft class was

OrlandoNed wrote:

Zmill wrote:I am a bit worried that Hezonja turns into a JR Smith/Mike Miller guy moreso than Klay. And this feeling is compounded by how good last year's draft class was

What do those 2 things have to do with each other? Why does anything the 2015 class does have an effect of what Hezonja becomes?

Zmill wrote:

OrlandoNed wrote:

Zmill wrote:I am a bit worried that Hezonja turns into a JR Smith/Mike Miller guy moreso than Klay. And this feeling is compounded by how good last year's draft class was

What do those 2 things have to do with each other? Why does anything the 2015 class does have an effect of what Hezonja becomes?

I was referring to Mario's draft class

OrlandoNed wrote:

Zmill wrote:

OrlandoNed wrote:What do those 2 things have to do with each other? Why does anything the 2015 class does have an effect of what Hezonja becomes?

I was referring to Mario's draft class

I know what you were referring to. I just don't know why you think that his draft class being good is a factor in him becoming a Smith or Miller instead of a Thompson. That's like saying the stock price of tea in China has an effect on Mario's career trajectory. They have nothing to do with each other.

OrlandoNed wrote:

Zmill wrote:

OrlandoNed wrote:What do those 2 things have to do with each other? Why does anything the 2015 class does have an effect of what Hezonja becomes?

I was referring to Mario's draft class

I know what you were referring to. I just don't know why you think that his draft class being good is a factor in him becoming a Smith or Miller instead of a Thompson. That's like saying the stock price of tea in China has an effect on Mario's career trajectory. They have nothing to do with each other.

BadMofoPimp wrote:Mario will have all the time he needs when he gets better. This takes years of development, not a throw em all out there for 35mpg experience and hope for the best.

YosemiteSam wrote:

OrlandoNed wrote:

Zmill wrote:
I was referring to Mario's draft class

I know what you were referring to. I just don't know why you think that his draft class being good is a factor in him becoming a Smith or Miller instead of a Thompson. That's like saying the stock price of tea in China has an effect on Mario's career trajectory. They have nothing to do with each other.

I think he means potential regret for who we passed on by taking Mario instead (Turner, Winslow, Stanley Johsnson, Mudiay, Booker, Lyles, Portis etc)

JF5 wrote:

BadMofoPimp wrote:Mario will have all the time he needs when he gets better. This takes years of development, not a throw em all out there for 35mpg experience and hope for the best.

This... He was a rookie... Its weird that he's pessimistic about his development after being a bench player (And rightfully so) in his first season.

Orlwillbeback wrote:I'm tired of excuses. He just needs to play better.

BadMofoPimp wrote:Mario will have all the time he needs when he gets better. This takes years of development, not a throw em all out there for 35mpg experience and hope for the best.