The LeBron James sweepstakes may have a small but interesting side note for the 76ers: Mario Hezonja could be part of the same conversation.
According to Marc Stein of The Stein Line, multiple teams around the league have interest in signing the former No. 5 overall pick from 2015. Stein also reported that the list of teams showing interest in Hezonja appears to overlap with the teams pursuing James, which is the detail that should catch Philadelphia fans’ attention.
If the Sixers land James, Hezonja would obviously not be the headliner. But the reporting suggests a possible package deal of sorts in terms of team interest, and that could make Hezonja a cheap depth addition once James signs.
Hezonja has spent the last few years overseas and has been productive there. The 31-year-old forward last played NBA minutes in the 2019-20 season, when he appeared in 53 games for the Portland Trail Blazers. After leaving the league, he spent one season with Greek club Panathinaikos and another with UNICS Kazan in Russia before making a bigger move in 2022.
That year, Hezonja signed with Real Madrid, and he has been with the club for four seasons. His role and production have grown during that stretch, and this past season he was a major contributor.
In 80 games across four competitions, including 71 starts, Hezonja played 23.1 minutes per game for Real Madrid. He averaged 15.0 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.2 assists while shooting 44.4% from the field and 33.4% from three on 5.5 attempts per game.
The outside shot has dipped over the last two seasons, but before that he had two straight years shooting around 39% from beyond the arc. That track record helps explain why NBA teams are taking another look.
The exact connection to James remains unclear. Still, the reporting points to a simple possibility: teams chasing James may also be looking for inexpensive depth, and Hezonja fits that mold. He’d likely be available on a minimum deal, and for Philadelphia, he’d offer size on the wing and in the frontcourt if he were coming off the bench behind James.
It’s an unusual link, but it’s the one that’s been reported. Sixers fans should keep Hezonja on the radar.
In Other News...
LeBron Rumors Just Took Another Turn Heat Fans Need To See
LeBron James is still in the middle of the free-agency process, and the list of teams circling him keeps the conversation alive for anyone watching the leagues top contenders. At 41 and still a free agent, he is being linked to Cleveland, Miami, Golden State, Philadelphia and Minnesota, with the common thread being the same one he has made clear for years: he wants a team built to win now and backed by a strong culture.
For the 76ers, that alone keeps them in the picture, even without any public commitment from James. The longer this stretches on, the more it feels like a moving target rather than a straight line to a destination, especially after reports suggested the process has shifted again and the field is still open. [Read more 🡒]
Former Sixers Forward Still Faces One Frustrating Problem
Trendon Watford showed enough versatility in his time with the 76ers to make himself a useful piece, but the fit never quite opened up the way Philadelphia hoped. The front office declined his team option for next season, sending him into free agency after a stretch in which he flashed potential without ever fully locking down a larger role.
The frustrating part is familiar for a player with his skill set: the all-around game is there, but the outside shot still lags behind. Watfords three-point issues kept his minutes from growing, and that same limitation now hangs over his search for a new home, with little clarity yet on where he fits best. [Read more 🡒]