Shams: Cavaliers, Warriors emerge as suitors for Hezonja after Real Madrid exit

Mario Hezonja announced this week that he would pay the buyout clause allowing him to leave Real Madrid for the NBA. The move raised suspicions at the club, as neither the player's destination was known nor had he paid the €850,000 required to exit his current contract with Madrid.

Hezonja's decision to return to the NBA became clearer once LeBron James's choice was revealed. James selected the Philadelphia 76ers and did not consider two other options he had on the table: the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors.

Now that both teams have given up on landing the NBA's biggest star, they have the necessary funds to sign Hezonja, aware of the interest sparked by his desire to return to the American league six years later.

Main Candidates

This information was reported by ESPN journalist Shams Charania, who has the best sources in the league. He noted that the Cavaliers and Warriors are emerging as the main candidates to sign the Croatian forward.

Both teams face salary cap issues and the luxury tax when seeking to secure the services of a high-cost player. They see Hezonja as a good option—an experienced player familiar with the NBA who can be signed for a salary within their budget.

Hezonja decided to return to the American league midway through last season after changing agents and exploring his future options. The departure of Sergio Scariolo was another trigger for Hezonja to leave Madrid, despite having a multi-million dollar contract until 2029.

NBA Experience

The 31-year-old Croatian has played a total of 335 games in the NBA with the Orlando Magic (the team that drafted him), the New York Knicks, and the Portland Trail Blazers. He built a solid career in the United States before deciding to return to Europe, where he won the EuroLeague with Madrid in 2023 and had the option to win it again in 2024 and 2026.

His strong season with Madrid earned him recognition as MVP of the season, although his team was eliminated in the quarterfinals of the playoffs by La Laguna Tenerife.

Now, everything indicates that Hezonja will secure an NBA contract, putting aside speculation that the move might have been a ploy to evade his Madrid contract and sign with another team through a short-term deal in the United States.