A cutback in minutes could ruin Mario Hezonja‘s return to Orlando on Sunday, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. Hezonja, who spent three years with the Magic before signing with the Knicks over the summer, got his first DNP of the season last night in a loss to the Pelicans.
Hezonja has been the victim of an evolving rotation in New York, along with his own inconsistent play. He’s shooting just .397 from the field and a career-worst .280 from 3-point range.
“That’s just how the rotation is where it’s at,” coach David Fizdale said after the game. “Trey [Burke] didn’t play [in two games] and he scored 24 for me tonight. I tell all the guys stay ready, it’s a revolving door. Everyone will get a chance to help our team. I think [Hezonja] will.’’
There’s more news out of New York:
- Burke credits a change in attitude for Friday night’s scoring outburst, Berman relays in a separate story. He hadn’t shown the explosiveness that helped earn him a rotation spot after being signed from the G League last season, and says he wasn’t driving to the basket enough. “[I was] being conservative, letting the game come to me,’’ Burke said. “Not attacking immediately. Naturally I’m a scoring point guard. When I attack it’s not always for me to score, it creates for others to. I wasn’t doing that.”
- Rookie center Mitchell Robinson showed off his shot-blocking prowess last night with seven rejections in 24 minutes, Berman adds in another piece. He ranks fourth in the league in blocks per 36 minutes at 3.7 and gets many of those with his left hand, a fact that his high school coach, Butch Stockton, takes credit for. “I taught him that,’’ Stockton said. “When he was in high school with us, I always stressed to him to block shots with his left hand. Most people you play against are right-handed. Mitchell can always spring better with his left hand up. His senior year he was the best shot-blocker in the country.’’
- Two days after unveiling a new starting lineup, Fizdale changed it again in New Orleans, Berman tweets. The latest move involves rookie Allonzo Trier, who was inserted into the starting five in place of Noah Vonleh.
Noah Vonleh is owed 40million from a previous contract with the Nets.
No he’s not his rookie contract expired and wasn’t given a QO so he signed a partially guaranteed deal with the knicks
The Nets? Not even close.
What the heck are you talking about?
Yes.
How is a rookie on a 40M contract? The #1 overall pick doesnt even get 10M a year.
you get what I mean.. dude is still under rookie wage scale, not even extended.
Never played for the Nets, a quick google search will show you that
Funny Fizdale, arranging deck chairs on the Titanic.
Wish Mario was playing better. Thought he could be a guy who stuck around for awhile. Trier is solid piece going forward, solid athlete. Robinson is a stud in waiting. Great pick. Him and KP will develop into monsters
He basically us an underplayed better version of Chandler Parsons pre-big money.
Fizdale has a tough job, and he talks the talk. But the honeymoon won’t last forever. His infatuation with volume shooting iso players who don’t defend belies his supposed desire for ball movement and defense. The rotation, along with this, aren’t consistent with developing young players as components of a contending team. The rotation isn’t “evolving”, which implies advancement.