The Cavaliers’ offseason has already brought a few familiar names through the door and sent a few others elsewhere, and now there’s another twist involving Real Madrid.
Cleveland re-signed Thomas Bryant, added Meleek Thomas in the NBA Draft in late June, and watched Larry Nance Jr. leave in free agency for the Indiana Pacers on a one-year deal. Keon Ellis also landed a bigger opportunity with the Nets on a two-year contract worth $18 million, while Dean Wade headed to Philadelphia on a four-year deal worth $39 million.
The Cavs also brought in Mario Hezonja from Real Madrid, and there’s a connection between those two moves that surfaced after the signing. Cleveland had been scouting Hezonja for the last few years, so this wasn’t some quick summer flier. It was a move that had been building for a while for the 31-year-old former NBA forward.
Hezonja is following a path that has become pretty familiar: a run in the NBA, time overseas, then a fresh look from back in the league. That’s the lane Guerschon Yabusele has been on for the last two seasons, and Hezonja is now back stateside.
But the Real Madrid link runs the other way too. Former Cavs forward Olivier Sarr is heading to the Spanish club on a two-year deal.
Sarr, the older brother of 2024 No. 2 overall pick Alex Sarr, has spent five years in the NBA. The 27-year-old was in the Oklahoma City Thunder organization for a few years, then had a strong stretch with the Cleveland Charge last season after tearing his ACL in the G-League Finals two years earlier. Cleveland later signed him to a two-way deal.
His short sample with the Cavs was productive. In 37 minutes, he averaged 3.5 points on 71% shooting, while adding 11 rebounds, five assists and three blocks. That kind of production doesn’t always come from a two-way player, but Sarr made it count.
Now he’s off to Real Madrid for the first time playing outside the NBA and G-League since he first entered that world six years ago. Max Shulga, who spent time with the Celtics last year, will join him in Spain next year.
So while Hezonja arrives in Cleveland, Sarr is headed to Madrid. The Spanish powerhouse is already packed with NBA talent and just got a little deeper. And even with all that movement, Hezonja - the former EuroLeague MVP - won’t be easy to replace.
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