Mario Hezonja is back in the NBA, and the early signs suggest he’s not just hanging around - he’s changing the shape of his game to set up a bigger payday.
That matters because his deal won’t become fully guaranteed for another month, so this first stretch is about proving he belongs and making the most of the opportunity in front of him. So far, the flashes have been there. The team has seen the hard work show up on the floor.
Hezonja already has the kind of résumé that turns heads. Two years ago, he won EuroLeague MVP with Real Madrid, a major accomplishment in one of the toughest leagues anywhere. Since then, he put in the work to add bulk and handle more responsibilities inside instead of living only as a slashing guard/wing.
What stands out now is how much that evolution has broadened his value. He still moves like a wing, especially when he’s accelerating to the rim, but the passing has come along with it. He’s not just getting buckets; he’s also setting them up, and he’s already flashed some eye-catching assists during his time with the team.
That’s a big shift from his last NBA stop. In the 2019-20 season with Portland, he averaged just 0.9 assists per game and filled a very specific role. This version of Hezonja is being asked to do more, including serving as a backup big man, which would have sounded surprising not that long ago.
Between the shooting, the quick euro-steps and the playmaking, he brings a lot to the roster.
Hezonja will turn 32 in February, and the idea is simple: there’s still plenty left in the tank. The hope in Cleveland is that his comeback arc ends up looking a lot like Guerschon Yabusele’s with the Sixers in 2024-25 after Yabusele’s earlier stint with the Celtics.
There’s also the broader reality that some players need time away from the NBA before they’re ready for the league again. Hezonja’s track record since leaving the NBA has been strong, and the details around him since arriving fit that picture.
He’s also someone who had already grown familiar with the team from a distance, and Cleveland’s scouts were reportedly tracking him for years before he got here. Now he finally has the chance to show what he can do.
Once November 17th passes and his contract becomes guaranteed, the conversation will shift to next year’s money. If he keeps this up, he could be looking at a meaningful bump from the $2.8 million he’s set to make this upcoming campaign.
In Other News...
Jarrett Allen Trade Buzz Puts Cleveland In A Tough Spot
Jarrett Allens name has started to surface in trade conversations around the league, and the Cavaliers have found themselves in the familiar position of listening without feeling pressure to act. Multiple NBA teams have checked in on the center, but Clevelands stance has been consistent so far: Allen is too important to move unless a deal clearly makes the roster better.
That reluctance makes sense for a team that leans on Allen as a defensive anchor and values the stability he brings alongside Evan Mobley. For now, the Cavs have turned down every inquiry, and the real question is whether any team will eventually come forward with an offer Cleveland views as worth disturbing one of its most important interior pieces. [Read more 🡒]
James Harden Just Put A Surprising Timeline On His Beard
James Harden has made one offseason grooming decision abundantly clear as he heads into his 18th NBA season and second with the Cavaliers: the beard is staying put. With Cleveland done with its preseason slate and the regular season set to begin Oct. 22 against the 76ers, Hardens familiar look remains part of the backdrop as the team turns the page from exhibition play to games that count.
For Cavaliers fans, the bigger point is less about facial hair than the reminder that Harden is still very much settled into the stage of his career where identity matters as much as role. He indicated the beard will remain with him throughout his playing days, leaving any real decision on it for later, once the cameras are no longer part of the equation. [Read more 🡒]
Kenny Atkinson Enters Season With One Cavaliers Problem He Must Solve
Kenny Atkinson goes into the new season with the kind of roster puzzle every coach would prefer to have, but also the kind that can turn tricky in a hurry. The Cavaliers are sorting through player roles and trying to build on last years progress, with Mario Hezonja expected to be part of the bench mix and the club looking for clearer offensive balance as it settles into its rotation.
The bigger pressure point is not just internal fit, but the standard this group is carrying into October and beyond. Cleveland is still trying to show it can push deeper in the playoffs after past postseason stalls, and the opening schedule will not make the early evaluation any easier, with several quality opponents waiting in the first 10 games. [Read more 🡒]