Cavs sign Mario Hezonja to 1-year, $2.8 million deal
The Cavs have agreed to a one-year, $2.8 million deal with former lottery pick Mario Hezonja, agent Michael Tellem told ESPN, returning the EuroLeague wing to the NBA for the first time since 2019-20. Cleveland expects him to fill a key wing role after missing out on LeBron James.
Key Takeaways
- The Cavs and Mario Hezonja agreed on a one-year, $2.8 million contract, per ESPN.
- Hezonja, the No. 5 pick in 2015, last played in the NBA in 2019-20 with Portland.
- He spent the past four seasons at Real Madrid and also drew Warriors interest.
- Cleveland is adding him after LeBron James signed with the Philadelphia 76ers.
According to ESPN, Hezonja is entering his sixth NBA season after revitalizing his career in Europe. The 6-foot-8 Croatian averaged 6.9 points and 3.1 rebounds across five prior NBA seasons, mostly off the bench.
For more BlasterPost coverage across desks, see our True Crime & Unsolved Mysteries category hub alongside today's trending sports updates.
Why did the Cavs sign Mario Hezonja now?
Cleveland reached the Eastern Conference finals and remains a top East contender entering 2026-27. After James chose Philadelphia, the Cavs shifted free-agency plans and moved quickly on Hezonja.
Bleacher Report noted James' agent confirmed Cleveland was among teams in consideration before he signed with the 76ers. Hezonja gives the Cavs a proven European scorer without a long-term salary commitment.
What has Hezonja done since leaving the NBA?
Hezonja played overseas after Portland traded him and Memphis waived him following 2019-20. Yahoo Sports reported stops at Panathinaikos and UNICS Kazan before four seasons with Real Madrid.
ESPN said he won the EuroLeague title with Real Madrid in 2024 and was named ACB League MVP in 2025-26. This past season he averaged 17.5 points and 4.9 rebounds while helping Madrid finish first in the Liga ACB regular season, per Bleacher Report.
What role will Hezonja play for the Cavs?
ESPN reported Hezonja is set for a key wing role with the Eastern Conference finalists. The Golden State Warriors also showed strong interest in his NBA return.
Once the No. 5 pick by Orlando in 2015, Hezonja also played for the New York Knicks and Trail Blazers. At 31, the one-year deal offers a low-risk path to prove he can stick again in the league.
The Cavs get depth and scoring punch on the wing as they chase another deep playoff run. Hezonja gets a fresh NBA stage after saying in 2022 he would not return, citing respect and how the league felt more like a show than the game itself.