Orlando Magic Daily Roundtable: Race to the finish

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Mar 24, 2017; Orlando, FL, USA; Orlando Magic guard Mario Hezonja (8) grabs a pass against the Detroit Pistons during the second half at Amway Center. Orlando Magic defeated the Detroit Pistons 115-87. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

So Mario Hezonja is a power forward now. Thoughts?

Badillo: I think Mario Hezonja plays better at the 4 spot. I am not a huge fan of Hezonja playing the 2 b of cause the lack of ball handling. Hezonja at the 4 is a better fit for him and he has shown a small improvement since moving to the 4 spot. When Hezonja is playing the 4, I do not mind him bringing the ball down the court once in a while off a rebound. But he is not the player to create plays and run them for the Magic.

Rossman-Reich: At least he is playing. I am not sold he is a power forward in this league long term. Maybe forcing him into this role is more of an admission that Frank Vogel does not know how to use him and keep him on the floor. It has been just such a rough season for Hezonja. He never could find his role or his fit. And, still, the only way Hezonja is going to stay on the floor in any capacity is if he makes shots. That is supposed to be his best NBA skill. He has used his speed and athleticism better at power forward. But none of that seems to matter if he cannot hit shots.

Scricca: I do not think it is his long-term position, but it could be. Whatever gets him reps in real NBA games is fine with me. At this point in his career, I think he is a massive defensive liability at the 4, but playing closer to the basket could help him build confidence in his offensive game. I mentioned “healthy experimentation” earlier, and I think this is a good example of that.

Iwanowski: I am just happy he found his way on the court. He clearly has to work on his defensive skills and building his body up in order to cover the other power forwards in this league, but I can definitely see how his skill set could create matchup problems for opposing defenses. I prefer this to him riding the bench. But I am not sure whether his potential is limited when forced to guard bigger players. There is certainly a reason star small forwards like Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James dislike playing the 4, and I am not sure Hezonja is suited for it defensively.

Palmer: I hated the idea at first, but if he is playing ahead of Jeff Green there really is not a problem. I wish they would use him more in pick and rolls as ball handler though. He should be able to break down a defense with that mismatch. My biggest concern for Hezonja moving forward has little to do with what position he plays and more to do about how he needs to make shots.

Grullon: Hezonja is not a power forward in my eyes, but I am glad that Vogel is being creative and trying to find an opportunity for him to thrive in. The NBA has changed over the years and now there is a lot of value in hybrid players (yes, I went there) that can play multiple positions. If Hezonja can learn to play the power forward position and find his shooting touch in the offseason, he will be a valuable asset for the Magic next season.