The Cleveland Cavaliers may have struck out on LeBron James, but are beginning to pivot to other options.
The Cavs signed former top-five draft pick and reigning Spanish League MVP Mario Hezonja. It has been rumored throughout the week that the two parties were interested in each other and the deal is now done.
Cleveland is taking a chance on Hezonja, who left the NBA in 2020, and never lived up to his top-five status. However, maybe a successful stint in Europe can be what allows him to stick around in the league this time.
Hezonja completely rebuilt his game in Europe and that is great news for the Cavs
Obviously this cannot be the only move that Cleveland makes to add to their forwards, but this is a start. Hezonja is a low-budget option and he can be effective with the starters or with the reserves. Kenny Atkinson has also implemented a lot of European principles into the team’s system, so Hezonja could fit right in with the Cavs.
Hezonja looked very comfortable as a scorer and shooter throughout his time in the Spanish league and EuroLeague. He showed off his athleticism on drives to the hoop and he was a lot more confident in his perimeter game as well.
He is also a bigger body, standing at 6’9” and at about 220 pounds. His defense in Europe was not bad, but given his bigger offensive role, defensive slippage is bound to happen. In the NBA though, he is going to have to commit to that end of the floor even more.
Additionally, his offensive profile and his bigger body is exactly what Cleveland has been missing on the wings for the last couple seasons. Hezonja has the athletic profile and build to be a productive three-and-D wing for this squad. He will also have to adjust to being on the ball less than he was for Real Madrid.
The bottom line is that the Cavs have work to do late in the offseason to add more playable positional size to the roster needs to continue to be the priority. The team is also reportedly in the running for free agent Jonathan Kuminga, and he would be a welcome addition to the roster as well. With the East set to be a bloodbath next year, Cleveland needs to load up with the little time that is left in the summer.
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