2019 Offseason Storylines 1: Mario Hezonja

I wanted to start a series of threads on Storylines going into the season. Mostly, I would like them centered around specific players.

Note: Currently, there are still 2 roster spots available.

Super Mario:
There is currently one PG on the roster, and his minutes should probably be managed. So, who's going to run the team when Lillard is not in?

1. Ant
2. Sign a PG and stick him in the rotation
3. Mario

My opinions and hopes for Ant are through the roof! However, he's simply not a PG - He hasn't played point since middle school. Yes, he can learn. Eventually, he'll likely surpass CJ in his playmaking ability, but not soon enough, and CJ, frankly, isn't good enough anyway.

It's very possible that we sign or trade for a PG, but will a late-in-free-agency vet min PG make the rotation? Unlikely.

That leaves Mario, either taking on the ET role, or sharing point responsibilities with Ant. Like many from Europe, Mario is a very skilled passer, but his ast/to ratio suggests he is an "undisciplined" one.

Mario was the 5th overall pick of the 2015 draft. Everyone recognized his potential. However, that potential has been unrealized. He thrived in neither of his first two situations. However, he is close to Nurk and his family which should increase his comfort level.

Questions/Storylines:

• The Blazers have worked wonders in their reclamation projects. Will that continue with Hezonja? Neil has suggested that he'll be in the rotation, but it's not his call. Is he good enough to make the rotation (and have the s2 fan base happy about it)?
• If so, how will he do in the facilitator role off the bench?
• Will he be on the team in 3 years?

These are the things I'll be looking for throughout the next season. Are there other things I should be looking for relating to Hezonja? How will it all shake out?

 

Ant will be the backup PG.

 

I agree that it will likely take Ant few years to be a backup PG, if at all.

If I were king, I would wait through preseason and see how Hezonja and/or Bazemore handled the pseudo PG role that ET had. I have see a lot of footage where both seem more than capable of initiating the offense on a limited basis. If one or both of them look capable, then you go with it. If either could handle it, then you could have any combination of Dame, CJ, Ant or Hood at the 1 and 2 spots with them.

If Hezonja and Bazemore don't seem to be working in preseason, then you see what you can find for a backup PG.

The truth is that if you need a journeyman PG to make your bench unit work, then you are probably in trouble anyway. But, if Hezonja or Baze could do it, then you don't lose anything.

 

CJ is the backup PG. If and when Simons plays, it will be alongside one or other of Dame or CJ (assuming no additions to the roster.)

 

I have been advocating for another PG on the roster especially in case of an injury. However I am having second thoughts. Would he ever play unless he is a good shooter?

Our backup PG's are more of the "setting up the offense" vs "running the offense" type players. They need good handles but more importantly they need to be able to shoot. Seth Curry, Napier, Mo Williams all did well in Terry's system. The Wade Baldwin's....... not so much.

So I think the key is having 3 good ball handlers in the game at once. Ant, Hood and Mario should be good as long as they can quickly get the ball up the court and into the offense. Also having a 4th shooter at PF will help spread the floor.

 

In case you were wondering, yes, he can dunk:

 

watching that video, he looks like he moves like Jake did for one month of the season with backdoor cuts, but also plays defense, can handle the rock and shoot. Looks like a great upgrade.

 

And you have the one with the worst defender bring the ball up the court. Like Schrempf did for UW (aging myself).

 

Yeah, he's a great ball handler and playmaker when with 1 to 1 AST:TOV ratio. Wait, thats not good.

Hes a career 32% 3pt shooter and shoot 27% from 3 last year. What do you mean "he can shoot"?

 

He shot .395 in 13-14 and .377 the next year at FC Barcelona.
It's very possible that he just hasn't been comfortable in the NBA, yet.

We'll see, but I think there is reason for optimism. Mediocre shooters become better when they join the Blazers. It's very possible he returns to his earlier form.

 

Shorter 3pt line against easier competition. Swanigan shot 40%+ in college his Sophomore year. I mean, maybe, but Layman is just as likely due for improvement. I can't see how someone could list shooting as a reason to pick Hezonja over Layman.

 

Yet no matter, his career percentage is better then Layman's. He passes better, He plays defense better. His FT shooting numbers are 10% higher then Laymen's. So yes for his career he shoots better then Jake.

 

So your opinion is Mario will not be an upgrade at forward in terms of ball handling and passing? Forget about his previous stats, in your opinion you don't see anything in his game to suggest he possesses those tools...again not as a PG, but for a forward.

 

Except Layman hasn't gotten much of an opportunity at all. Hezonja has had 4 years to prove he's better than a 32% 3pt shooter (which he has not). Laymans 3pt% is more likely to see a sizeable uptick due to the benefit of increased opportunity and role.

 

I'm not saying that, I'm saying I think Blazer fans are overrating that part of his game.

 

He is a year younger then Layman and Layman played 4 years of college ball . You are saying Layman is likely to see a uptick based on increased opportunity. Can't you say the same about Hezonja should expect a uptick based on playing with better teammates? Plus the fact he is better then Jake in every category

 

People overrate playing with good teammates in regards to shooting. He might get a slight uptick in open catch and shoot but the dude shot 27% last year.

Layman showed that, when he got consistent minutes, that he could really shoot the ball. Then he starts getting his minutes yanked around and starts getting yanked out for missing a single three (while Moe and Aminu get a very long leash) and his confidence tanks. In a consistent role with a longer leash, he'll be a good 3pt shooter. That's much more of a factor than "Good teammates might make the ball go in for Hezonja more often and he'll be a 35% 3pt shooter instead of a 27% shooter"... If you thought Jake was a bad shooter last year, that's what Hezonja has consistently been for years. Never shot 35% or above even though he's had the chance to.

Also, Jake is much better moving off the ball, which is really valuable in regards to the other guys on this roster.

 

Or saying that the forwards we lost this summer (Aminu, Hark, and Jake) were not very good at passing and ball handling.
I can't say I know for certain, but he seems to be an upgrade at those two particular skills. I agree Jake was a pretty good shooter, but over all Mario appears to be a better all around player. Time will tell.

 

He also shot nearly 35% one season. So he has the ability to shoot better, if he gets open shots I am guessing.

As for Jake, dude was a major liability on defense. So he had the opportunity to earn more minutes but was such a liability on defense he did not take advantage of the opportunity. Jake had a good month or two, then once the league had video on him he showed he was not a everyday player. Teams just learned to attack him in the pick and roll until the Blazers were forced to take him off the court. Plus he stopped getting the back door and could not hit shots. As for Moe and Chief they played both end of the court and rebounded something else that Hezonja does better then Jake.