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2018 NBA free agency grades: Knicks scoop Mario Hezonja

By Luke Askew

ORLANDO, FL - MARCH 23: Mario Hezonja #8 of the Orlando Magic drives to the basket during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies on March 23, 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 - MARCH 23: Mario Hezonja #8 of the Orlando Magic drives to the basket during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies on March 23, 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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The New York Knicks are reportedly inking Mario Hezonja to a 1-year, $6.5 million deal. Let’s give the New York Knicks a grade for this deal.

Per ESPN‘s Adrian Wojnarowski, the New York Knicks will sign Mario Hezonja to a one-year, $6.5 million deal. This is an excellent low-risk, high-reward opportunity for both Hezonja and the Knicks.

The Knicks are in a rough place going into the 2018-19 NBA season. Their franchise player, Kristaps Porzingis, is going to miss a lot of (if not the entire) season due to a torn ACL he suffered last season. Their only other valuable pieces are Frank Ntilikina and Kevin Knox, both of whom are a year away from being a year away.

To put it simply, the Knicks won’t be winning games next season, so why not take a one-year flier on a former top-five pick? Hezonja is only 23 years old and averaged 9.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game during the 2017-18 season for the Orlando Magic.

That was Hezonja’s best year by far (out of only three) for the Magic. I’m in the camp that believes if you’ve only played for the Magic, you probably have a lot of untapped potential that’s just waiting to burst out. The Knicks are the perfect place to test this theory.

Plus, people seem to be forgetting how talented Hezonja was before being drafted by the Magic in 2015.

Hezonja is a freak athlete who can shoot the ball and create off the dribble. He’s struggled from 3-point range during his 3-year NBA career, shooting a poor 33.2 percent, but a lot of those shooting struggles can be chalked up to his lack of a defined role. That makes it really hard to get in a rhythm.

The Knicks should be able to benefit right away from his ability to create shots for himself. He’s the kind of guy you can give the ball to and say, “go score.” Granted, it might not always work, because the dude’s not Michael Jordan, but he is Mario Hezonja, and Mario Hezonja is an extremely underrated basketball player.

Let me be clear, just because I love this move for the Knicks (and Hezonja), doesn’t mean I think it’s going to be franchise-altering. There is a chance Super Mario’s game just isn’t meant for the NBA and if that’s the case, the Knicks still won’t have lost anything.

This season is going to be one full of experiments for the Knicks. Whether that’s finding their point guard of the future, finding out what Kevin Knox has in his bag or just finding out what James Dolan will do next, it’ll be a season of intrigue (and losses) for New York. Might as well add Hezonja to that list of mysteries.

When you’re one of the NBA’s biggest markets, it’s important to take advantage of these low-risk, high-reward situations. It isn’t often you can sign a 23-year-old, former top-five pick for a one-year trial run. This was a solid move for the New York Knicks and for Mario Hezonja.

Next: 2018 NBA free agency tracker: Grades for every deal so far

Grade: B-

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