NBA Free Agency 2018: 5 offseason targets for the Atlanta Hawks

ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 10: John Collins #20 of the Atlanta Hawks makes his entrance before the game against the Philadelphia 76ers on April 10, 2018 at Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Kevin Liles/NBAE via Getty Images) /

3 of 6

(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images /

4. Mario Hezonja

Mario Hezonja mesmerized scouts in the buildup to the 2015 Draft. His combination of athleticism, size, smooth shooting and confidence (arrogance perhaps?) made him a fascinating prospect in the a league that had just begun emphasizing switchability and shooting prowess. A 6-foot-8 guard with the ability to create his own shot and play off the ball? Well worth the risk right?

For the better part of his two seasons with the Orlando Magic, Hezonja looked totally hapless on the court. The former Barcelona man seemed to have lost all the confidence that made him so captivating to begin with. He shot the ball poorly from deep and finished inconsistently at the basket. And despite his physical tools, Hezonja never provided any semblance of defensive intensity.

But last year Hezonja earned his way into a bigger role, demonstrating substantial improvement across the board. Mario rectified his poor shot selection, consequently upping his scoring efficiency. He eliminated lots tough mid-rangers from his game; shots that he had resorted to all too often in his first two seasons. The Croatian international was also much better at getting to the rim this past year. He finished a career high 69.1 percent of his shots within three feet. Hezonja seems to have gotten some of his former mojo back.

Although Hezonja had a career year last season, an exit from Orlando seems imminent at this point. The Magic declined his fourth year team option before the start of the season, which means that Hezonja will enter unrestricted free agency this summer. The most Orlando can offer him come July is a contract starting at the amount of his cap hold. That would be about $5 million annually. Hezonja should thus be attainable for a fairly modest price. With wing talent coming at a premium in the NBA, getting a disappointing guy like Hezonja on the cheap would be a worthwhile risk. Could the Hawks sign him on a bargain deal? Perhaps something like $8-$10 million annually over two years?

Home/Atlanta Hawks