5. The David Fizdale Factor
Mario Hezonja isn’t LeBron James, Kevin Durant, or any of the other superstar players who were eligible for free agency. He is, however, a coveted option who received offers from multiple franchises before deciding to sign with the New York Knicks.
Per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Knicks had competition for Hezonja’s services, including the Memphis Grizzlies and Portland Trail Blazers.
The Knicks and Hezonja close out a tough recruitment, where several teams -- including Portland, Sacramento and Memphis -- competed for a fifth overall pick from the 2015 NBA Draft. Hezonja was drawn to coach David Fizdale, after going thru several coaching changes in Orlando.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 2, 2018
According to a joint report by Adrian Wojnarowski and Ian Begley of ESPN, it was head coach David Fizdale who ultimately convinced Hezonja to sign with the Knicks.
"The Knicks beat several teams — including Portland, Sacramento and Memphis — because of Hezonja’s belief in coach David Fizdale and confidence that he can earn a significant role on the court for New York."
Say what you will about the caliber of free agent New York managed to sign, but this is a promising sign that The Fizdale Effect is real.
When Fizdale was hired as head coach of the Knicks, one of the primary selling points was his ability to connect with the modern athlete. Some questioned the validity of that belief, due in large part to the Marc Gasol fiasco that resulted in Fizdale being fired by the Grizzlies.
New York’s successful pursuit of Hezonja is a feather in his cap, however, as there were other—and arguably better—options out there for the 23-year-old to consider.
Clearly, recruiting Hezonja to New York and convincing the likes of Kyrie Irving or Kemba Walker to come home will be entirely different conversations. Nevertheless, Fizdale has his fingerprints on the successful signing of a player who had other options.
It may or may not be a landscape-altering move, but the Knicks already have reason to believe that Fizdale can help change the free agency culture.