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Orlando Magic: Grading The Offseason

By Gerald Bourguet

Feb 22, 2015; Orlando, FL, USA; Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic (9), forward Tobias Harris (12) and teammates high five against the Philadelphia 76ers during the second half at Amway Center. Orlando Magic defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 103-98. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 22, 2015; Orlando, FL, USA; Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic (9), forward Tobias Harris (12) and teammates high five against the Philadelphia 76ers during the second half at Amway Center. Orlando Magic defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 103-98. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /
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Orlando Magic
Jun 25, 2015; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Prospects pose for a group picture with NBA commissioner Adam Silver (holding basketball) before the start of the 2015 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /

The Draft

Positional overlap be damned, I like the Mario Hezonja pick at No. 5. With Victor Oladipo and Elfrid Payton, the Magic have plenty of defense in their starting backcourt, but Orlando badly needed scoring and perimeter shooting. So even though it would have been nice for Kristaps Porzingis to fall here, the Magic still made the most of their pick.

Hezonja has already developed a reputation as the “Croatian Kobe Bryant,” not only for his athleticism, but for his ultra-confident-bordering-on-cocky nature. The on-court comparison may be a little far-fetched at his point, since Super Mario will have to prove his game translates to the NBA.

But based on what we saw from him during NBA Summer League in Orlando, it most likely will:

At 6’8″ and 200 pounds, Hezonja has great size for an NBA shooting guard, and as you can see, he’s got the athleticism and leaping ability to go with it.

In all competition overseas last year, Hezonja shot 38 percent from three-point range (with a three-point line that is farther from the basket than the NCAA line). Though he’s not a great defender, Hezonja benefitted from playing better competition in the pros overseas than most NCAA prospects and he’s a versatile offensive weapon who can beat you from the outside or by attacking the basket.

Hezonja’s time in Summer League was limited, and any concerns about his shooting percentages (37.5 percent from the floor, 28.6 percent from three-point range) can be negated by the ridiculously small sample size of two games. Hezonja averaged 13 points per game in Orlando, and in his first Summer League game, knocked down a clutch go-ahead three with 12.9 seconds left to give the Magic the win.

As for Tyler Harvey, Orlando’s second round pick and No. 51, the Magic certainly could’ve done worse that late in the draft. As the NCAA’s leading scorer last year, Harvey is a deadly shooter who’s got a little Stephen Curry in him.

In a league prioritizing the three-point shot more and more, the undersized Harvey might be a great fit after knocking down 43.1 percent of his three-point attempts last year.

He can shoot extremely well off the dribble and though he struggled through his first three games at Summer League, Harvey still shot nearly 57 percent from the floor and 50 percent from downtown through five games. Harvey has not been signed to a deal yet and will likely have to prove himself at training camp, but this was a low risk for a pure-bred shooter who might be able to contribute in the future.

Grade: A-

Next: Most Important Move Of The Summer?

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