Sometimes all you need is a second chance. Former lottery bust Mario Hezonja is eying a return to the NBA, and the Cleveland Cavaliers are very interested, and for good reason. The Croatian forward has been out of the NBA since the end of the 2020 season and has been plying his craft in Europe in the EuroLeague. During his time there, Hezonja has shaken off the bust label quite efficiently.
He's been in the EuroLeague for six seasons, and in his most recent season, he shot 46.5% during the Liga season, while hitting 36.6% from three. He's found his shot in a league that's notorious for its more physical defense. It's not just his stat line that's improved, but Hezonja has proven to be quite the star player. He's won two different league MVP's, one for the Russian-based VTB league and one for the Spanish ACB league. The ACB, for those who don't know, is the same league that produced Luka Doncic, where Doncic is also an MVP.
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For the past four seasons, Hezonja has been with Real Madrid, and during his time there, not only did he win the MVP, but he's also become a champion as well. He's helped take the club to three EuroLeague finals, winning one. He's also found himself as a four-time EuroLeague All-Star to boot.
So it's fair to say there's a lot of potential in bringing Hezonja back to the States, especially on a team like Cleveland who need long-forwards who can do a variety of things like Hezonja has proven to be able to do. He's not going to put up the same kind of numbers or make the same kind of impact that landing LeBron James would have, but he's a high-volume scorer with an absurd ability to finish near the rim.
Getting Hezjona would be a step in the right direction for the Cavs, but it can't be the only one. They have to figure out a big-swing type of move, and while Hezonja can be a nice piece, it's unlikely he can be the kind of player who turns the tide of this team's fortunes.
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