Orlando Magic Mid-Season Player Grades
C-. <p><strong>Offensive Rating:</strong> 71.0<br /> <strong>Defensive Rating:</strong> 63.6</p>. G/F. Orlando Magic. MARIO HEZONJA
Mario Hezonja has been a little disappointing, when honesty is fully in play.
He has done well in stints of games, but he has yet to establish any permanent place in the rotation and the team really has not benefited much from him yet.
He is still trying to feel out his way in the NBA. And while logic dictated that would be the case, there were many who set the bar quite high for Hezonja’s rookie season.
The jury is still out, on both ends of the court.
There are flashes to be sure. Hezonja has had some jaw-dropping passes and made great decisions on the fly in transition.
He could even be a guy who moonlights at the point guard position, as depth has pushed Scott Skiles into trying it already. Hezonja has all the basketball skills necessary to thrive in the NBA, but he is going to need time to learn.
The same problem that applies to Aaron Gordon applies to Hezonja. But the hope is by next season, the team sees him thriving in a defined role. That seems to be a reasonable progress marker if he can establish himself in the wake of a departed rotation player in front of him.
The Magic cannot keep everyone, and Hezonja’s day will come.
Offensively, he has impressed at points, and a lot of his defensive struggles are stemming from being aggressive enough that he will not avoid the rookie whistles.
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