Mario Hezonja Is a Good Fit for the Cavaliers, but Not Enough

Shortly after losing out in the LeBron James sweepstakes, the Cleveland Cavaliers shifted to another one of the targets on their free agency big board and signed Mario Hezonja to a one-year deal for next season.

Hezonja hasn't played in the NBA since the 2019-20 season and has spent the last half-decade playing overseas with Real Madrid in the EuroLeague.

Even though there are a fair number of unknowns and questions surrounding this signing, it's still a solid move for Cleveland.  

Obviously, Hezonja is not LeBron James, but signing the former lottery pick is still a good move for the Cavaliers and has the potential to be a perfect fit playing alongside the likes of Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley. 

If there's one thing Cleveland needed at the end of last season, it was forward depth, and that need became a gaping hole on the roster when both Dean Wade and Keon Ellis left in free agency.

Hezonja gives the Cavaliers another wing, likely off the bench, who can space the floor and has developed his game overseas to create his own shot on occasion, too.

For example, in his first NBA stint, Hezonja shot just 31.9 percent on catch-and-shoot threes. During his four years overseas, that number rose to 38 percent. 

Especially with Hezonja only making the veteran minimum of $2.5 million for next year, this is truly a low-risk, high-reward move by the Cleveland front office.

Still, even though signing Hezonja is a good depth move for the Cavaliers, it's not enough for Cleveland to be considered the top threat in the Eastern Conference, especially as teams around them dramatically improve. 

Hezonja has a chance to revitalize his career and become a key rotation piece for the Cavaliers, but relying on him to fill a massive void is an unfair expectation for a player who hasn't played in the NBA in years. 

Bringing in the veteran forward is a good start to Cleveland's offseason plans after swinging and missing on LeBron, but more signings or trades must be made before training camp opens up.

Jonathan Kuminga remains a very intriguing target for the Cavaliers. Is there a path for Cleveland to make a trade with the New Orleans Pelicans for either Tre Murphy or Herb Jones?

Now that the Cavaliers have signed Hezonja, it's a fair question to ask, what's next?