Orlando Magic try something new to find Mario Hezonja’s best fit

The Orlando Magic tried something unorthodox to get Mario Hezonja a fit as the season winds down. The team tried him at power forward.

Mario Hezonja is still the same player.

He still comes around screens, drives to the basket, tries to make passes to Bismack Biyombo and work the pick and roll and fires when he is open. The Orlando Magic are just trying to get the most out of this promising player.

And that process has been tough.

For two years, Hezonja has remained a mystery. The Magic have never quite figure out where he should play. And Hezonja has not helped, struggling to shoot the ball and take the appropriate step forward with his defense to earn more playing time under two defensively demanding coaches.

For these final run of games, the Magic are trying to figure out exactly what they have. Where Scott Skiles viewed Hezonja as a point guard in a small forward’s body, Frank Vogel has gone the opposite direction. He said Hezonja fits better in this league as a small forward or power forward.

It is confusing — both a sign of Hezonja’s extreme potential and his failure to live up to expectations as the fifth overall pick. The Magic are still experimenting with where to place him in their rotation.

At least, they seem willing to experiment.

Wednesday, with Jeff Green out with back spasms (he is a gametime decision for Friday’s game against the Detroit Pistons), Vogel used Hezonja largely at power forward off the bench. And . . . it kind of worked.

"“I thought he looked really good,” Vogel told Orlando Magic Daily. “He missed a couple of bunnies and a couple of good looks. But he did some really good things. It is a condition where we see how it plays out. But it could be really good for him.”"

Hezonja finished with eight points and seven rebounds. He actually got himself some shots, making 3 of 12 for the game. The 12 field goal attempts were his most shot attempts in a game since November. Hezonja was definitely confident enough to fire away.

Vogel said Hezonja was playing a bit too fast and still has a tendency to press — perhaps a remnant of him trying to make an impact when he has struggled to get consistent minutes all season. But Vogel generally liked Hezonja’s looks on offense. And he is not going to complain about a young player trying to hard — even as the team tries to harness that energy better.

Even Hezonja seemed to be pleased with the adjustment and the opportunity that came with it for him.

"“It was amazing for me,” Hezonja told Orlando Magic Daily. “I have some moment mistakes. I was talking to the assistant coaches to see what they think about it. It feels amazing to me, I have no problems about it.”"

It has been a frustrating season for Hezonja and for the Magic. Both obviously want each other to succeed — and everyone would like to see the former fifth overall pick be a part of that success. He has struggled to find consistency as the Magic figure out just how to play him and how to use him.

There are moments where Hezonja has looked good and comfortable, but they have seemingly been too fleeting.

Orlando Magic

Hezonja, supposedly one of the best shooters from the 2015 Draft, is shooting just 35.6 percent from the floor and 29.9 percent from beyond the arc this season. Teams still respect his shot and he adds some spacing. But at some point, he has to produce.

And the Magic have to do a better job putting him in positions where he can succeed. That might be where playing him at power forward born from.

"“I like the space everyone out there with him had,” Vogel told Orlando Magic Daily after Wednesday’s game. “He didn’t shoot the ball great overall but had some great looks. I think that is a role he can develop into and be successful in. He didn’t shoot the ball great, but I liked what I saw.”"

At least the experiment merits a few more looks.

There are key differences between playing small forward, where Hezonja has played 83 percent of his minutes this year according to Basketball-Reference, and power forward.

Offensively they may be more subtle — as Aaron Gordon learned. The Magic tend to ask their perimeter players to do very similar things.

And, in the modern NBA, power forwards work more like perimeter players. Vogel said in some instances the power forward plays like a point guard. Perhaps there is a way for Hezonja to model his play after a playmaking 4 like Draymond Green.

The biggest difference offensively is where he moves in transition. As a power forward, he sprints toward the basket rather than to the corner for a spot-up opportunity. And, as a power forward, Hezonja will act more as a screener in pick and rolls. Learning how to set a screen in the NBA will be a learning experience for him.

Certainly, defensively, there are some differences too. Bigger power forwards will take a smaller player like Hezonja into the post and try to be more physical with him. And there are added rebounding responsibilities — Hezonja seemed to be up to them in grabbing seven boards against the Hornets.

Hezonja said he welcomes these challenges. And, despite a few hiccups, it seemed to work. Hezonja has always been the kind of player who just wants to roll the ball out and play, no matter what his coaches ask of him.

"“I just went there naturally and played the basketball I know,” Hezonja told Orlando Magic Daily. “Definitely, for each spot that you are put in, you definitely need to go through some motions to be ready for set plays. Then in the set plays if you aren’t in a certain position, you are messing with your other teammates. And you don’t want that.”"

Hezonja will still have to find his shot. Ultimately, his shot is what got him to the NBA. It has not been there for him in his early career. Hezonja is someone who is in the gym late at night working on his shot. He even admitted he sometimes shoots himself into exhaustion as he searches for that rhythm he needs.

By all accounts, Hezonja puts in his work behind the scenes. Vogel has lauded his effort and hard work throughout a season that has seen his minutes cut, expanded and then cut again. He even won the Magic’s Iron Magic award at the beginning of the season.

Orlando just has to find a way to get him to breakthrough and make the most of his versatile skills.

Maybe this is the way to get him there and get him engaged. Maybe this is where he can find a more firm defensive fit and take advantage of those offensive skills.

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Whatever the case, this is the time to experiment and see what Hezonja can do and give him an opportunity to find a fit, no matter the position he plays.