Mario Hezonja keeps giving Cavs fans reasons to pay attention, and his latest run with Croatia only adds to the buzz. The 31-year-old has been scoring efficiently in FIBA play, and with his Cleveland debut less than two months away, every game feels like another small step toward that next NBA chapter.
This one, though, was more about fitting into the flow than taking over. Croatia beat the Netherlands 101-99, and the heavy lifting came from elsewhere. Ivica Zubac finished with 24 points and 11 assists, Dario Saric added 24 points and five threes, and Luka Bozic chipped in 18.
Hezonja still made his mark. He finished with 16 points on 5-13 shooting and hit every free throw he took.
He also added four assists and three steals, and Croatia was +4 with him on the floor. The numbers may not scream centerpiece, but the performance matters for a player who may need to accept exactly that kind of night in Cleveland.
Not every game is going to hand Hezonja the volume he wants. The shots won’t always fall.
And when he gets to the NBA, he won’t be walking in as the EuroLeague MVP or as the same player who arrived with lottery-pick hype in 2015. He has to earn that again.
That’s why the Cavs’ interest in him has been so notable. Cleveland has spent multiple years evaluating him, and the partially guaranteed deal tells you they see something worth chasing. Hezonja was the EuroLeague’s best player just two seasons ago, and now he’s back in the association after his first NBA stretch included only one postseason appearance across five campaigns.
For the Cavs, he looks like the kind of depth piece who could settle in as an 8th or 9th man on a team that just reached the Eastern Conference Finals. There’s real pressure there.
After Sam Merrill and Jaylon Tyson, he may be the next one asked to get buckets when the roster needs it. Some nights that could mean starting.
Other nights it could mean logging 30 minutes. Either way, he has to be ready, and his recent work for Croatia suggests he is heading in that direction.
In Other News...
Cavaliers May Already Have Their Best Answer For A Thin Frontcourt
The Cavaliers still have an open 14th roster spot, and with cap space tight, the frontcourt is one area that keeps standing out as a practical need. Cleveland has already added wing help in Peyton Watson and Mario Hezonja and drafted Meleek Thomas, but behind Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, the team could still use a low-cost big who can soak up minutes and give the rotation some insurance.
Olivier Sarr fits that search as well as anyone on the current list of possibilities. The 6-foot-10 center has previous two-way experience with Cleveland, and his combination of size and G League production makes him a logical candidate if the Cavaliers decide to use that final opening on a true interior presence rather than another developmental flier. [Read more 🡒]
Cavaliers Still Have One Important Backcourt Job Up For Grabs
The Cavaliers have spent much of the Donovan Mitchell era searching for a reliable backup point guard, and the list of names who have cycled through that spot shows how unsettled it has been. Ty Jerome, Ricky Rubio, Raul Neto, Craig Porter Jr., Lonzo Ball and Dennis Schroder have all taken a turn trying to stabilize the second unit, but Cleveland still heads into the season with that reserve backcourt role very much open.
Now the attention shifts to a younger crop, with the Cavaliers using draft capital on Tyrese Proctor and Meleek Thomas and setting up a training camp battle that should be worth watching. Proctor, Thomas and Porter are expected to compete for minutes behind Mitchell, and coach Kenny Atkinson will be looking for a guard who can bring both consistency and versatility to a bench that has not yet found a settled answer. [Read more 🡒]
Cavaliers Still Have A Late Offseason Question Worth Watching
The NBAs offseason shake-up has already changed the leagues balance, and Cleveland is still watching the board with plenty of other teams. Even with the biggest dominoes falling elsewhere, there are roster spots around the league that remain open, and front offices are expected to keep tinkering before the 2026-27 season tips off on Oct. 20. For the Cavaliers, that kind of late-summer movement can matter, especially when the margins in the East are so thin.
What makes this stretch worth following is how many situations are still unresolved. Some players are widely expected to stay put, while others are lingering on unsigned deals or non-guaranteed contracts, leaving clubs room to change course if the right option appears. Cleveland does not need a splash to keep its eyes on this market, but one more quiet addition or a surprise decision elsewhere could still shape the final look of the roster. [Read more 🡒]