I think this summer Portland will finally get Hezonja...on a minimum contract. Layman’s play makes Aminu difficult to keep, so we will need some cheap depth. Hezonja had his most productive season last year in Orlando primarily playing power forward. He hasn’t been good in NY, but that to me just means he’ll be affordable. He’ll only be 24 next season. We wanted him last summer. We know how Olshey is with guys he’s been interested in the past. Nurkic is close with Hezonja. So is Kanter (who may fit into the tax MLE) It’s a reclamation project, yes, but one I can see coming from miles away.
He is a good player, very athletic, I wouldn't bring him in mid-season as we already need to adjust to maybe too many new faces but if we can afford him in the summer I think it would be a solid acquisition
Are you calling Herzonja a two-way player? Lmao. If only he was a one-way player. Herzonja isn't gonna go anywhere where he won't get an opportunity. He'd originally rather go back to Europe than be a benchwarmer in the NBA. So you're talking about playing a guy who has proven to be a terrible player over his entire career. Enough of playing guys like Stauskas or Herzonja. We want to compete in the postseason, right? Then why do we keep asking for reclamation projects to be in our rotation? Makes zero sense.
I think the thought is that when we're talking about players who are going to take the minimum, they're going to be by definition players currently perceived as "garbage", otherwise they'd command a much larger deal. With that understanding, what type of player or characteristics do you think would be the best to target with a vet min offer (if necessary to fill out the roster)?
A young player with potential who isn't going to require being played to sign (or one that Stotts or Neil feels like having played). No reclamation projects in our rotation. Hezonja wouldnt come here unless he was gonna be in the rotation.
And this assumption is based on what? Because he’s european? Most Europeans that go back are in their late 20s, or 30s. Those deals will be there for Hezonja whenever. He could’ve gotten more long term security by going back last summer. That tells me he’s committed to the NBA. His potential earnings make sticking around more likely. He’s still young. There’s no reason for him to settle yet.
Doesn't he play the same position as Jake? Is he better than Jake? Would we want both....seems like we would want to use the MLE on another position
This thread was started over a year ago. Talk of using MLE on him was going into last summer. For this summer, he'd be vet minimum or nothing.
He’s had his chance at Knicks this season and has not seized the opportunity at all. After reasonably strong end to his Orlando career he was expected to build on that and prove that they were wrong letting him but after almost a year with NY it’s pretty clear they were right.
This is the least of my problems, since there is only one Hezonja. The modern NBA confuses me, because it has two Hernangomezes. https://www.basketball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?hint=&search=Hernangomez&pid=&idx= Only one of those three players should be allowed in the league.
Hernangomez is like having the last name Henryfranklin - which frankly sucks. I vote for keeping Hezonja and casting the other two into the abyss.
Ita logical. There will be a rebuilding team that will offer him PT and he'll take it. He's not gonna come here to be the 15th guy. I'd rather Trent and Simons see minutes over him.
My high school had many Gomezes, but no Herman Gomez. My English teacher might say that the plural of Gomez is Gomez', so I'm taking a chance here, but she probably died 30 years ago so I'm safe from her possessive objection. We had Joses, but no Hezonja, although when you took a shortcut through the grass, someone would yell, "Hey dat's a no-walking zone you."