Mario Hezonja Signs with Cleveland Cavaliers
The Croatian international returns to the NBA after six years in Europe, signing a one-year, $2.8 million deal following standout seasons with Real Madrid.
The Croatian international returns to the NBA after six years in Europe, signing a one-year, $2.8 million deal following standout seasons with Real Madrid.
Croatian basketball international Mario Hezonja is officially a new player for the Cleveland Cavaliers. As announced by the NBA club on Thursday, July 31, 2026, the 31-year-old forward has signed a one-year contract and returns to the world's top basketball league after six years, confirmed Cavaliers' President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman.
According to American media reports, as relayed by Zadarski list, the deal is worth $2.8 million, although the Cleveland-based club has not officially disclosed financial details.
Hezonja returns to the United States after four highly successful seasons with Real Madrid. With the "royal club," he won the EuroLeague in 2023 and two consecutive Spanish league titles in 2024 and 2025. In the past season, he was also named the Most Valuable Player of Spain's ACB League, averaging 15 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game across all competitions in 80 appearances for Real.
Throughout his rich European career, besides Real Madrid, he also played for Barcelona, with whom he won two Spanish championships, Greek club Panathinaikos, where he lifted the Greek league trophy, and Russian side Unics Kazan.
This marks Hezonja's second attempt in the NBA. He first entered the league in 2015 as the fifth overall pick in the draft, which still ranks him among the highest-drafted Croatian basketball players in history. From 2015 to 2020, he played 330 games for the Orlando Magic, New York Knicks, and Portland Trail Blazers, averaging 6.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game.
His return to the NBA represents a significant shift from his earlier statements, when he claimed during his time in Europe that he had no intention of returning to the American league due to dissatisfaction with his first stint.
The Cleveland Cavaliers reached the Eastern Conference Finals last season for the first time since 2018. As reported by HRT, following the departures of Dean Wade and Keon Ellis, the team was seeking additional depth in the frontcourt, and Hezonja (206 cm tall, weighing 110 kg) is expected to contribute precisely in that area.
Interestingly, despite the official confirmation from Cleveland, Real Madrid had not yet issued a statement regarding Hezonja's departure at the time of the announcement. Additionally, according to Zadarski list, it remains unclear how the buyout clause in the contract that bound the Croatian international to the Madrid club for another three years was resolved.
