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Orlando Magic: 2017-18 player grades for Mario Hezonja

By Luke Duffy

ORLANDO, FL - APRIL 12: Mario Hezonja #8 of the Orlando Magic talks to the media during a press conference on April 12, 2018 at Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images)
ORLANDO, FL - APRIL 12: Mario Hezonja #8 of the Orlando Magic talks to the media during a press conference on April 12, 2018 at Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
(Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) /

Weaknesses

Hezonja might have clicked into gear offensively for the Magic, put defensively it was another story.

Although he saw his minutes go from 14.8 per game in 2016-17 to 22.1 this year, the team still had virtually the same defensive rating (109.6 in 2016-17, 109.5 in 2017-18) when he was on the court.

The Magic ranked 20th in this category (107.7) for the season as a whole, but if anything, Hezonja was detrimental to that number improving in any way.

It is not Hezonja’s fault that the defensive-minded Vogel was canned, but with players like him seeing an increase in minutes but not putting in valiant work on the defensive end, it can’t have helped.

Despite having the highest usage rate of his young career (19.9 percent), Hezonja only averaged 1.4 assists per game as well. It might be a stretch to say that the ball stuck when he was on the court, but this was the same average as he managed in his rookie season.

He also attempted this pass, which there are no words to describe.

The argument could also be made that Hezonja didn’t have a lot of help and so had to shoulder the scoring load himself, but he isn’t elite in that category yet either.

To be closer in assists to centers Bismack Biyombo and Khem Birch (0.8 per game) than Terrence Ross (1.6 per game) is not ideal.

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