Mario Hezonja‘s one‑year, minimum‑salary deal stays non‑guaranteed until Nov. 15, yet his early impact has made the Cavaliers’ decision a breeze, notes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required).
Back from Europe after a six‑year stint, Hezonja posts 7.4 points and 4.0 rebounds in 17.4 minutes, shooting a career‑best 35.3% from three over five bench appearances. He’s logging 15‑20 minutes each game, carving a role in Kenny Atkinson‘s rotation.
“It’s a tough transition,” Atkinson admitted about Hezonja’s shift from EuroLeague star to NBA role player. “He’s performing well, honestly. He’ll find his niche – the talent is clear – and he should help us win many games. It’s early, he’s still meeting everyone. As we learn where he fits, the whole team improves,”
With the Cavs tight against their first‑apron hard cap, cutting Hezonja to add a 14th roster piece wouldn’t be ideal but was feasible. Still, he’ll likely stay under contract through Nov. 15, securing his full $2,845,883 salary and a $2,449,421 cap hit.
We have more on the Cavaliers:
- Evan Mobley has earned Defensive Player of the Year honors, two All‑Defensive first‑team nods, and over 18 points per game the past two seasons. If his career‑high three‑point rate this year holds, both he and Cleveland could soar, Fedor writes (subscription required). After a 0‑for‑3 night against Atlanta, Mobley is 12‑of‑21 from deep in five games. He won’t sustain a 57.1% clip all season, but he says his progress is “sustainable,” and teammate Jarrett Allen notes that forcing defenses out to the perimeter opens space for him. For my money, Mobley could become the league’s most dangerous stretch big.
- In a deep interview with Terry Pluto (subscription required), Cavaliers president of basketball operations Koby Altman, now in his tenth year, looks back on steering the club after the LeBron James era ended in 2018. He takes pride in Cleveland’s rise to a consistent playoff contender shortly after James left. “We lost LeBron without compensation and carried huge contracts from deep playoff runs,” Altman said. “We drafted Evan in 2021 and have been in the playoffs ever since. When a generational talent departs, few expect a swift return, yet we’ve done it and haven’t looked back,”
- After posting double‑digit points in his first two NBA games on Monday and Wednesday, Meleek Thomas sat out Thursday with right‑foot inflammation. The rookie, who boasts a +10.2 net rating in those outings, is listed as questionable for Saturday’s Milwaukee matchup. Can Thomas stay healthy and become a key spark for Cleveland?