The Cleveland Cavaliers have secured forward Mario Hezonja on a one-year, $2.8 million contract, agent Michael Tellem of Excel Sports Management told ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Hezonja, 31, returns to the NBA after four seasons in Europe, where he won Spanish League MVP honors this year with Real Madrid by averaging 17.5 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists across 44 games.
The agreement is a veteran’s minimum deal that will count $2.4 million toward Cleveland’s luxury-tax calculations. According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, the Cavaliers remain $35.5 million below the second apron and have two roster spots available.
One of those slots is earmarked for James Harden, who is expected to sign a multiyear contract after declining a $42.3 million player option in June. The other spot will likely stay open into the regular season.
The Cavaliers still possess their $6.1 million mid-level exception, which could be used on Jonathan Kuminga unless the club reduces payroll through other moves. A sign-and-trade for Kuminga is also possible.
Golden State had reportedly shown interest in Hezonja, who becomes Cleveland’s first offseason addition outside the draft. He is expected to bolster a wing rotation thinned by the free-agency departures of Dean Wade and Keon Ellis and the unsuccessful pursuit of LeBron James.
The fifth overall pick in the 2015 draft, Hezonja appeared in 330 NBA games with Orlando, New York and Portland before heading overseas in 2020. He owns career averages of 6.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 18.5 minutes.
Source: HoopsRumors
