The Cleveland Cavaliers might have secured the signing of their Plan B forward after getting snubbed by LeBron James in free agency.
The Cavaliers were among the finalists in the LeBron sweepstakes but missed out on his signature. But out of the Heat, Cavs, Warriors, and Timberwolves, it seems the Cavs are striking first in backup plans.
The Cavaliers are expected to complete the signing of an overseas forward, potentially returning to the NBA after six seasons away.
The Cavaliers might have landed a 3-and-D forward to address frontcourt issues
Former NBA player and current Real Madrid forward Mario Hezonja is coming off a season where he was named the Spanish League’s MVP.
His agent seems to have confirmed that Hezonja will be joining Cleveland for next season, with a coded message in Croatian.
“The Dubrovnik Republic and its inhabitants have always been known for their mercantile mindset. Centuries have passed, things have changed, and now that mindset has somehow become chivalrous, equestrian…..”
Spanish media giants AS believe this is foreshadowing a move to the Cavs with references to Hezonja’s hometown of Dubrovnik and an identity linked to knights and horsemen, also known as Cavaliers.
The Warriors were also expected to be in the race for Hezonja, but it seems the win-now Cavaliers might be a more attractive destination for the 31-year-old.
Hezonja can play both as a small forward and a power forward, averaging 13.3 points and 4.0 rebounds in 22.3 minutes of action in 44 games for Real Madrid last season. He had a subpar shooting season, but is still generating NBA interest as a role-playing forward.
Hezonja has an NBA release option for 850,000 euros in his contract with Madrid that he’s yet to pay, so the official decision might be announced sometime later, with the Cavs presumably paying that fee to release Hezonja from his commitments in Spain.
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