Mario Hezonja is turning the Cavaliers’ roster decision into an easy one.
The 31-year-old wing has quickly become a steady part of Cleveland’s second unit, and that matters because his one-year, $2.8 million deal becomes fully guaranteed on Nov. 15. Based on how he has looked early, there doesn’t seem to be much drama left in that call.
“Really good,” Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said after Thursday’s 114-111 loss to the Atlanta Hawks. “We needed him. We were searching a little bit, trying to find someone on the wing that was going to step up and he stepped up.”
Hezonja gave Cleveland a strong 17-minute burst off the bench, finishing with 10 points on 4 of 6 shooting and 2 of 3 from 3-point range. He also grabbed six rebounds, handed out two assists and picked up one steal.
That was his second double-digit scoring game of the season, and he has played at least 15 minutes in every game. For a player who arrived after years overseas with Real Madrid, where he won Liga MVP, the adjustment has been significant. It has also been smooth enough to give the Cavs real confidence in what he can bring.
“It’s a hard transformation,” Atkinson admitted recently. “I think he’s doing great, honestly.
He’s going to find his niche because the talent is obviously there, and he’s going to help us win I think a lot of games. Just right now it’s early.
He’s still getting to know everybody. We’re getting to know him as coaches, where he fits, and as we get to know each other better, it’ll improve the whole thing.”
Cleveland’s offseason made this kind of development even more important. The front office was working to stay below the punitive aprons, and that led to some major roster changes.
Dean Wade left for the Philadelphia 76ers. Keon Ellis, brought in from the Sacramento Kings before the trade deadline to help on the wing, wound up with Brooklyn.
Larry Nance Jr. joined central division rival Indiana. Then there was the five-team deal for Peyton Watson that sent Max Strus and Dennis Schröder out the door.
The result was a team with a powerful starting five and a bench that needed answers.
Sam Merrill and Jaylon Tyson were always expected to carry the second unit, and that has held true through the first five games, with each ranking sixth and seventh on the team in minutes played. But Atkinson has been open about wanting a dependable 10-man rotation, and with Nae’Qwan Tomlin out at least the first month because of a lower back injury, the search for dependable reserve production has been a real issue.
That is where Hezonja has started to separate himself.
At 6-foot-9 and 255 pounds, he gives Cleveland a different kind of wing. The Cavs have been able to use his strength inside, where he can create mismatches around the post and near the rim.
He also brings a veteran calm from his years abroad, and it has shown in the way he handles late-game moments. He has already knocked down timely shots, while also showing he is willing to speak up and call out a teammate when needed.
The size, length, strength and athleticism all matter. So does the sense of poise. In a league where depth is a requirement, not a bonus, the Cavaliers know exactly what kind of value that can bring.
“Thanks to my teammates and my staff and pretty much everybody in the whole organization from the top to the last person, they embraced me with an open arm,” Hezonja said. “They know the basketball player that I am, but also get to know the person that I am so it’s definitely been super great, very welcoming.
“There’s a brand new vocabulary, some words that I haven’t heard for like six, seven years that they’re using daily for the game type situations, training situations. All of that I picked up super fast, and it’s all thanks to them. Experience plays a big role into it, but the biggest is just how welcoming everybody is with me.”
Through five games, Hezonja is averaging 7.4 points while shooting 44.1% from the field and 35.3% from 3-point range. He is also averaging 4.0 rebounds and 1.6 assists.
There is still plenty for him to sort through: the language, the role, the minutes, the shots, the touches. He still has questions to answer.
But the biggest one seems settled already. The Cavaliers have found enough to believe in, and Hezonja is showing he belongs.
In Other News...
Cavs Just Unlocked A Formula The Bucks Couldnt Handle
The Cavaliers found a way to make life miserable for Milwaukee by leaning into the size and skill of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, and it showed on both ends of the floor. Allen and Mobley were central to the game plan, giving Cleveland a steadier interior presence than the Bucks could handle while also helping set the tone defensively. Donovan Mitchell and Mario Hezonja chipped in as well, but the night was defined by how often Cleveland could turn to its frontcourt and keep the pressure on.
For the Bucks, the problem was less about one hot hand than a broader inability to keep Clevelands bigs from dictating the action. Milwaukees defense struggled to contain the Cavaliers inside, and the matchup exposed just how difficult it can be when Cleveland gets that part of its offense rolling. Tyler Herro also came up short of expectations, adding to a night in which the Bucks never quite found the answer to the Cavaliers interior edge. [Read more 🡒]
Cavaliers Face A Backcourt Problem That Could Force A Tough Choice
Since Donovan Mitchell arrived, the Cavaliers have lived with a familiar problem in the backcourt: how to keep enough defensive size on the floor without dulling the offense. James Harden has helped some because of his strength and ability to hold up better inside, but opponents still look to drag him into space and attack with quicker guards, which keeps Cleveland searching for cleaner lineup answers.
The numbers have only sharpened the debate, because Mitchell and Harden have looked better when they are not sharing the floor and Cleveland has gotten more from Mitchell alongside shooting around him. Harden still matters as a late-game scorer and Mitchell remains the engine, but the Cavs are weighing whether a different starting mix might better fit the way they want to defend and close games. [Read more 🡒]
Cavs May Have Found The Offensive Formula Fans Wanted
Kenny Atkinson made it clear he wanted Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley more involved offensively, and the Cavaliers responded in a way that looked a lot like the kind of balance this roster has been chasing. Against Milwaukee, Cleveland leaned into its size and kept working the ball inside, a formula that put pressure on a Bucks defense that struggled to hold up around the rim.
The result was a convincing 136-111 win built on interior dominance and a frontcourt that kept the offense humming. Mobley and Allen were central to that push, and the Cavs spent the night attacking the paint with enough consistency to make the matchup feel lopsided long before the final buzzer. The bigger question now is whether this was a one-night answer or the start of something Cleveland can keep repeating. [Read more 🡒]