The Cleveland Cavaliers are adding to their roster in free agency with a EuroLeague star.
The Cleveland Cavaliers missed out on signing LeBron James and have pivoted, inking EuroLeague star Mario Hezonja to a one-year $2.8 million deal.
Hezonja was the fifth overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft and played five years in the league before playing overseas. He hasn't appeared in an NBA game since the 2019-20 season, when he averaged 4.8 points and 3.5 rebounds per game, shooting 42.2 percent from the field and 30.8 percent from three.
In 28 games for Real Madrid in league play in the 2025-26 season, averaging 17.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and a steal per game while shooting 46.5 percent from the floor and 36.6 percent from behind the arc.
The 31-year-old forward could be a quality bench piece for Cleveland as he's improved his game since he last played in the NBA.
USA TODAY SportsThe Cavs made a deep run in the 2026 postseason, reaching the Eastern Conference Finals before the New York Knicks swept them. Cleveland has a talented core of Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen, but getting the most out of role players like Hezonja will be pivotal to making a deeper playoff run.
Cleveland still has to come to terms on a new deal for Harden, but they are expected to re-sign him after acquiring the star guard at the trade deadline in a deal for Darius Garland.
While the Cavs were close to reaching the NBA Finals in 2026, the path back to the Conference Finals in the 2026-27 season will be much tougher.
Other teams in the Eastern Conference have improved drastically, with the Philadelphia 76ers landing James and Jaylen Brown, while the Miami Heat acquired Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The Toronto Raptors may also land Kawhi Leonard once the league finishes their investigation into the Los Angeles Clippers, and the Indiana Pacers will have Tyrese Haliburton back healthy.
All of these teams, including Cleveland, will be looking to knock down the champion Knicks to win the East in the 2026-27 season. The Cavs added more bench depth with a low-risk addition in Hezonja, but they may need more changes to compete for a title.
