Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson discussed the excitement around adding Mario Henzonja to the roster.
The Cleveland Cavaliers were able to get to the Eastern Conference Finals last season, finally getting past the second round of the playoffs.
But once there, the run ended pretty quickly for the Cavaliers. Cleveland was swept by the eventual NBA champions, the New York Knicks, ending their season.
So, entering this new NBA season, the Cavaliers are focused on getting back to the conference finals, but also going much further. The organization believes that the offseason moves that they have made should help, giving the Cavaliers a deeper roster overall.
The team still has stars Donovan Mitchell and James Harden leading the charge, but they can't do it all by themselves. And one offseason addition that the Cavaliers made that could help turn the tide was adding forward Mario Hezonja.
Hezonja has been out of the NBA since the 2019-20 season, but the former fifth overall pick is back, ready to help Cleveland out. The veteran forward has Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson excited for what he can do, even with the six-year absence from the NBA.
Atkinson said he believes that Hezonja thinks the Cavaliers have a chance to win while playing in a system that can help his own game thrive. This is a testament to the roster that Cleveland has built, and Hezonja could fit right into what the Cavaliers want to do this season.
Since leaving the NBA, Hezonja has played for multiple teams overseas, including Real Madrid, a Russian team, UNICS Kazan, and Panathinaikos. With Real Madrid last season, Hezonja won the Spanish Liga MVP, leading the team to the top of the standings.
Hezonja averaged 17.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.9 assists over 44 appearances a year ago. And if he can bring this type of scoring to the NBA, the Cavaliers could be in a good spot.
It may take Hezonja some time to get readjusted to the NBA level, but he is a quality scoring forward who can shoot. Hezonja's best season in the NBA came in 2017-18 while with the Orlando Magic when he averaged 9.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game.
His time overseas has likely seen him improve as a player, and he is just 31 years old still.
Playing alongside Mitchell, Harden, and others could serve him well and his NBA comeback could be very successful. Cleveland will give him all the chances to succeed in the system, and his willingness to adapt to what the team needs could make all the difference for the Cavaliers this year.
