New York Knicks: Five reasons to love the Mario Hezonja signing

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ORLANDO, FL – DECEMBER 15: Mario Hezonja #8 of the Orlando Magic shoots the ball against the Portland Trail Blazers on December 15, 2017 at Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) /

The New York Knicks have signed free agent forward Mario Hezonja to a one-year deal. Here are five reasons to love the signing.

The New York Knicks are in the midst of an offseason that’s been dedicated to signing players to one-year contracts. The front office intends to improve the quality of the roster, but it also has a clear long-term focus: Conserve and clear cap space for 2019.

If any signing from the summer of 2018 is going to prove noteworthy, there’s a good chance that it’ll prove to be that of forward Mario Hezonja.

Hezonja unexpectedly entered unrestricted free agency in 2018. The Orlando Magic declined his fourth-year player option before the 2017-18 campaign, thus making it possible for teams to sign the former top-five draft pick without having to worry about Orlando matching the offer sheet.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, it was the Knicks that overcame the interest of several other franchises to sign Hezonja to a one-year deal.

For Hezonja and KNICKS, it's a one-year, $6.5M deal, sources tell ESPN. He'll have a real opportunity to create some traction for his career with the Knicks. https://t.co/hLe6jPXwaI
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 2, 2018

Hezonja confirmed the move via his official Twitter account by quoting the iconic Frank Sinatra:

Start spreading the news...I want to be a part of it, New York,New York! Very excited to be joining the Knicks and play for coach Fizdale! A dream come true!! #betterhairdaysareahead pic.twitter.com/V7JfOUc9ob
— Mario Hezonja (@mariohezonja) July 2, 2018

Hezonja has traveled a polarizing path to where he is today, but this could prove to be one of the more rewarding gambles in recent Knicks history.

New York has developed the reputation of a franchise that’s unable to resist the temptation of throwing money at the first big name it sees. The Hezonja deal is different, however, as this is an investment that fits within a broader vision.

Though there are certainly issues that Mario Hezonja will need to sort out, this is a signing that New York Knicks fans should have no trouble getting behind.

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