On Friday, LeBron James made his decision and, in the process, left a few teams scrambling to sort out what comes next. The Heat, Warriors and Cavaliers are now among the clubs trying to patch together their rosters for the upcoming season, and one suggested answer was a familiar name from the Knicks’ past: Mario Hezonja.
That idea picked up some steam because New York does have a need for forward depth, and its flexibility is limited to minimum contracts. Charles North of Stadium Rant argued that a reunion made sense, writing:
“The New York Knicks reuniting with Hezonja makes sense on a few levels. Most importantly, they need forward depth off the bench.
Their flexibility is very limited at this point, giving them just minimum contracts to work with. Also, from Hezonja’s side, wouldn’t you want to make a return to the NBA for the reigning champions and a place you’ve already played?”
But there’s a reason plenty of Knicks fans would be lukewarm at best on that pitch. Hezonja’s time in New York came during a rough stretch, and the memories are limited to a couple of flashes rather than anything close to sustained production.
One of those flashes came when he blocked a potential game-winning fadeaway by LeBron James to help the Knicks escape with a one-point win. The other was a fast-break dunk over Giannis Antetokounmpo, followed by Hezonja stepping over him.
Other than those moments, the season was hard to celebrate. The Knicks finished 17-65, worst in the NBA, and Hezonja shot 27.6% from three-point range.
Hezonja, now 31, has spent the last six years away from the NBA. His path has taken him overseas, including the last four seasons with Real Madrid in the EuroLeague. Last season was his best scoring average of that stretch, but it also came with his worst three-point accuracy.
New York, meanwhile, is in a different place now. The team is bringing back much of its championship roster, and while bench forward depth is a fair issue, the Knicks do have Landry Shamet. Mohamed Diawara also showed last year that he can handle rotational minutes when needed, even if summer league was disappointing.
With only one roster spot open, the more practical move looks elsewhere. A third big man or one of the club’s two second-round picks, Jack Kayil or Tyler Nickel, would make more sense than a Hezonja reunion.
If another team that missed out on LeBron wants to take the swing, that’s one thing. The Cavaliers appear willing to do that. For the Knicks, though, the answer should be simple: stay away.
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