What is really going on with Mario Hezonja?
That is a question that is being asked not only around the NBA but around the globe. The Cleveland Cavaliers agreed to a contract with the former No. 5 pick, officially signing him to the deal over the weekend. After years of playing abroad, Hezonja is set to make his return to the NBA.
Unless, of course, all is not as it seems. What if Hezonja is merely using the Cavaliers to change teams in Europe? It is not as far-fetched as it may sound.
The fishy details of Mario Hezonja's contract
Michael Scotto of HoopsHype was among the first to report on the details of Hezonja's deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and specifically that it is a non-guaranteed one-year minimum contract.
That is the type of deal that a player signs when he has no other options left. The minimum part is not shocking given the Cavaliers' financial concerns, although it is surprising that a player as accomplished in Europe as Hezonja would come to the NBA for only a $2.8 million minimum deal.
What is somewhat shocking is the non-guaranteed part. That means that the Cavaliers could waive him at any time and he would be without a home and without a contract. That is a huge risk for Hezonja to take on if this is a normal, above-the-board deal.
That is where the suspicion sets in. Hezonja had to pay a $1 million buyout to get out of his contract with Real Madrid. That buyout was only available to him if he was leaving for an NBA team, not another team in Europe. Otherwise, Hezonja was under contract for another three seasons.
Reporting from across the pond has pointed to the NBA as a fake suitor, a way for Hezonja to get out of his contract with Real Madrid. The idea would be that the Cavaliers sign Hezonja to help him get out of his deal, waive him, and he is free to sign with any other team in Europe.
Alessandro Luigi Maggi of Sportando theorized that the reason Real Madrid was fighting Hezonja's buyout was not purely because they objected to the timing (Hezonja's deadline was July 20, but he didn't have a confirmation on which team when he notified them on the 20th) but also because they suspected he was trying to take advantage of them by clearing away his contract.
What is really going on?
Why would the Cavaliers do this? It would be a relatively easy favor to pay to Hezonja and his agent, Michael Tellem, perhaps setting up something down the line to come back their way. Teams will pay these reciprocal favors all of the time.
Cleveland has done its part to communicate that Hezonja plans to be a "key part of the rotation" next season, which sounds all well and good except for the fact that no one knows if he will be any good returning to the NBA. You also don't sign a key rotation player to a non-guaranteed minimum deal. Things are not adding up.
Now add in that Hezonja has been extremely vocal about never returning to the NBA, calling it "more a show than the game itself" in 2022. He was on a lucrative deal in Europe with a powerhouse in Real Madrid. Why would he possibly be enticed to come to the NBA for a non-guaranteed minimum deal?
If the Cavaliers were locked-in on Hezonja, they would have simply given him a normal guaranteed minimum contract. If Hezonja was truly pursuing an NBA return, why sign such a contract? Something doesn't add up.
Everyone should be watching the situation carefully. Will Hezonja report for training camp? Will he actually play for the Cavaliers this season? His deal becomes fully guaranteed on November 15th, nearly a month into the season. Will he make it past that date?
This is the latest in a series of questionable contracts around the NBA this season. Kawhi Leonard's future is in limbo as he is investigated for his part in cap circumvention by the LA Clippers. Gary Trent Jr. landed a massive payday he didn't deserve, almost certainly because of a hush-hush verbal agreement when he signed for the minimum the last two years. Hezonja's deal only adds to the maelstrom.
It's a shockingly complicated and intriguing situation, and a lot of people think there is an ulterior motive at play. The next few months will answer a lot of questions -- or perhaps merely uncover even more questions.
Why did Mario Hezonja really sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers? The answer may surprise you.
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