Mario Hezonja: The effects of having a pure shooter
Is he NBA ready?
If J.J. Redick can become an above-average defender, Hezonja can excel. It seems sometimes with elite 3-point shooters the focus becomes so heavily emphatic on their need to shoot, but Hezonja will demonstrate enough other skills to show the potential that has had him billed a “can’t-miss” prospect since he was 16.
Hezonja is ready to play in the toughest league in the world, and he is ready to further his career. European talents are forced to wait in the wings behind veterans quite often, and Hezonja could get his chance to start early with the Magic, particularly if Tobias Harris does indeed go elsewhere.
But the Magic now have that luxury, and it is not as though the money would not be spent eventually. What is not spent on Harris could be spent on another position of greater need, and that still remains the 4-spot.
With Kristaps Porzingis not having fallen to the No. 5 spot (if the Magic would have even preferred him), it still leaves the Magic with a huge question mark in place of a profile picture at power forward. We have even looked at some bargain options to fill this need.
But Hezonja fills at least one of the most crucial needs.
And not all birds can be knocked out with one stone, while the fact remains that Hezonja is still a better shooter than Porzingis likely. He is just not a stretch-4.
Hezonja will be able to defend 2s and 3s with his natural speed becoming his biggest asset. He is also reasonably long and can definitely get off the floor.
The only thing that would impede his chance at becoming a great defender is poor focus, lack of effort or utter apathy. His new coach, Scott Skiles, will not allow any of that.