Thread: Mario Hezonja
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Old 02-07-2018, 11:32 AM   #24
Magnum_3_Ball
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According to Yahoo Sports the Magic are shopping Mario Hezonja and Elfrid Payton. I actually like Payton a lot. He's a tough, gritty kid that plays hard and has that competitive fire, won't take any guff from anybody attitude. Similar to how Jerry Stackhouse was. I also don't think Payton's gotten the proper coaching or development in ORL, yet he's right at that 2.5 - 1 asst/TO ratio you want to see out of a PG. I could definitely see him as a backup to DSJ, even run them together some times & have DSJ play off the ball.

Hezonja has been discussed plenty in this thread. ORL doesn't plan on resigning either it sounds like, so while the plan was why not just sign him in the offseason instead of trade our 2nd for him, the risk is the Paul George effect. If you like either Hezonja or Payton, then you might as well deal your 2nd because if they go to a team that wants them, has a good experience the 2nd half of the season & gets a good offer from that team, then you're playing from behind if you wanna sign them. Not to mention that team gets all of that extra time in practice to see what they actually have before they put out a multi-year offer.

Payton is a RFA, so trading for him now gives you the upperhand this summer. I honestly like them both over anyone we'd draft in the 2nd round. Maybe... mayyyyyybe someone falls to us there a Bates-Diop or Troy Brown type, but maybe not. Also, those guys are unproven vs NBA talent, but these two we know what they can do & they're still both very young. They fit with our time table.
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