2017 NBA Manifesto
Mario Hezonja
SG/SF/PF, 6’8, 215lbs, 22 years old, 2 years of experience
Very disappointing sophomore season for Hezonja in which he shot 35.5% from the field and, aside from slight improvements in his turnover and rebounding numbers, regressed in all facets. Taking more shots than before sent his efficiency into free-fall, and while the jump shot from all ranges is the bulk of his game, only 30.9% of them went in. He is athletic and flashes good passing vision, but he cannot dribble in traffic, isn’t making shots, and the baseline for his offensive projection is now very low. On the plus side, though, his defence did improve, both on small forwards and small-ball power forwards, learning angles and rotations better and being able to stay in front more often with the position shift away from the wing. But the improvements have not made him a stand-out defender; the most stand-out aspect of his game at the moment is how few of the shots go in.
Player Plan: Two years of rookie scale salary remaining. Keep and work hard on skills development, particularly the jumper, which will be key to the effectiveness of his odd package of skills.
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SG/SF/PF, 6’8, 215lbs, 22 years old, 2 years of experience
Very disappointing sophomore season for Hezonja in which he shot 35.5% from the field and, aside from slight improvements in his turnover and rebounding numbers, regressed in all facets. Taking more shots than before sent his efficiency into free-fall, and while the jump shot from all ranges is the bulk of his game, only 30.9% of them went in. He is athletic and flashes good passing vision, but he cannot dribble in traffic, isn’t making shots, and the baseline for his offensive projection is now very low. On the plus side, though, his defence did improve, both on small forwards and small-ball power forwards, learning angles and rotations better and being able to stay in front more often with the position shift away from the wing. But the improvements have not made him a stand-out defender; the most stand-out aspect of his game at the moment is how few of the shots go in.
Player Plan: Two years of rookie scale salary remaining. Keep and work hard on skills development, particularly the jumper, which will be key to the effectiveness of his odd package of skills.