Mario Hezonja looks better, but still has lots of work ahead of him

Mario Hezonja‘s future with the Orlando Magic is in flux after the team declined his option. All Hezonja can do is work and find opportunity as it comes.

Every little success for Mario Hezonja matters after the year he went through. Every time he is able to get in the game and do something, the pressure is on him to show what he can do and make good on his fifth overall selection.

Those high expectations for the 6-foot-8 forward are quickly receding into the rearview mirror. He is no longer fifth-overall-pick Mario Hezonja. Right now, he just wants to be regular-rotation-player Mario Hezonja.

After the summer he had to rehab a knee injury that would not go away all last year, every success matters.

Late in a blowout against the Chicago Bulls? That is an opportunity for Hezonja. Hitting a corner 3-pointer and playing solid defense matters to him.

Spot minutes in a close game against the New Orleans Pelicans? That matters too, if not more. Passing up a contested shot to get a better one or playing defense. Hezonja just has to hold his own.

Hezonja may still have dreams of reaching his draft potential. But it will be a long road to get back there. He has to get back into the rotation first and prove himself there and in practice before jumping back up to that far-off ceiling.

Hezonja had a lot of work to do to get ready for this season.

"“It’s just overall the hard work that you put in,” Hezonja said at the Magic’s media day. “It is going to show up in some parts. It doesn’t matter what you do all the time. It’s how many times you repeat that. It is going to show up definitely.”"

Hezonja has always had that confidence his hard work would pay off. And no one has ever questioned his work ethic. He won the team’s Iron Magic award last year for weight room gains.

On top of all this, Hezonja had to spend his offseason in physical therapy.

A cartilage or tendinitis issue slowed him throughout last year. He said the pain was so great that it got to the point he felt he had to shut things down and reevaluate his injury. He said he spent part of his summer re-working his technique for running and jumping to alleviate the pain. Hezonja had to moderate his load and work this summer.

He was largely unable to play basketball and work on his development in the offseason. Hezonja simply had to get healthy.

Even early in the preseason, Hezonja said his knee was still bugging him. It felt better than it did during the summer, but he said he still did not feel like he was maxing out his athletic abilities.

It put him behind the curve in a year Hezonja and the Magic need to see him perform.

"“Mario didn’t get to play a lot of basketball this summer,” coach Frank Vogel said during the preseason. “That’s a tough thing for a young player. It’s a big year for him. We need him to step up. He needs to step up for his own sake. He is a little bit behind the 8-ball knowing how his summer went.”"

And the pressure only increased after the Magic declined his team option for the fourth-year of his rookie contract. Hezonja vowed when asked by the Orlando media in Memphis about it that it would not deter his work ethic.

There are reports and rumblings Hezonja and his agent are eager to move to a different team and get a fresh start. Reports also suggested the Magic tried to trade Hezonja before the extension deadline.

Nothing came up. Hezonja’s name may again surface in trade talks closer to the deadline. And the Magic are still giving Hezonja his opportunity on the court in the meantime, so long as he contributes and helps the team win.

In eight games this season, Hezonja is averaging 11.6 minutes per game and scoring 4.4 points per game. His shooting numbers have rebounded too. He is making 14 of 28 from the floor and 7 for 13 from beyond the arc.

Hezonja has looked better and more fluid than at any point last season. He has played smarter attacking the basket and keeping the ball moving. And, most importantly, he has made open shots when he gets them. That is always the key to his getting playing time.

But his defense remains a bit inconsistent. And his offensive awareness is still not ideal. The Magic still search for the right matchups and situations to play him in. But the flashes of his talent remain.

Vogel said he still expects Hezonja to make mistakes. But his successes are starting to outweigh his shortcomings. That is the first step to entering the regular rotation.

If the Magic are running a nine-man rotation, Hezonja is the 10th man. And Arron Afflalo has crept in the rotation more in recent games. Hezonja still has a lot to fight for.

"“He’s aggressive. He’s looking to score with that second unit,” Elfrid Payton said during the preseason. “We need him to score and have some shooting with that second unit. J Simms [Jonathon Simmons] is somebody who can get in the paint, so we need a guy like Mario to space the floor and knock down shots. He’s confident. He’s never lacking in that. He just needs to continue to work and he will be fine.”"

Hezonja’s aggression and fit have always faced scrutiny. Early in the preseason, he was perhaps a bit too aggressive and trying to do too much. The Magic needed to reign him in. Now, he is playing his role but sometimes does not make an impact. Hezonja has to find the balance of asserting himself but fitting his role.

He is playing for a contract now.

It is important to remember, there is a lot of season left to play. Hezonja will have his opportunity. And whether he remains with the Magic next season or moves on, he has to carve out his place in the NBA all over again.

He seemingly put in the work to get himself back into playing shape after the injury he went through last year. He skipped out on playing for the national team or even from going home, showing his commitment to making it work in the NBA.

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Hezonja still has a long way to go. He may be starting a bit late. But Hezonja is here trying to make the most of his opportunity and grow from there.

"“He has to stay focused,” fellow Croatian Damjan Rudez said during the preseason. “He has to keep working on his game every day and not get comfortable with the situation he is in. He has to understand everything has to be well deserved with hard work and doing all the right things on the court. I think he is on a good road. He has improved in these two years. And these two years have not been easy for him."

Hezonja said he was committed this summer regardless of what his role would be to focusing on his NBA career. That will ultimately help him in the NBA and eventually his national team too. Hezonja, after two summers committed to playing competitive basketball, needed a summer to focus on himself.

In the limited sample size of this season, it seems that hard work has paid off. Hezonja is better than he was during his disappointing second season.

He will still have to fight for his opportunity. That part of the story has not changed.

Next: Question of the Week in the NBA: Are the Orlando Magic for real?

And Hezonja still has a lot of work to do.