On Friday, LeBron James finally announced his next team. By choosing the 76ers, he left teams such as the Heat, Warriors, and Cavaliers without one of the all-time greats.
Those teams now need to move on and work on filling out their rosters for the upcoming season. Their big pivot is… checks notes… Mario Hezonja?
It's been six years since the 31-year-old forward last played in the NBA. One writer believed a return to the Knicks—where he played in 2018–19—would be a solid fit.
Charles North of Stadium Rant writes:
“The New York Knicks reuniting with Hezonja makes sense on a few levels. Most importantly, they need forward depth off the bench. Their flexibility is very limited at this point, giving them just minimum contracts to work with. Also, from Hezonja’s side, wouldn’t you want to make a return to the NBA for the reigning champions and a place you’ve already played?”
There probably aren’t too many Knicks fans who agree with that. Hezonja doesn't necessarily bring back many glorious memories, despite some highlights. And the roster they already have just won a championship.
Hezonja played for the Knicks back when they weren’t good
There are two memorable plays from Hezonja’s season in New York. One came when he blocked a potential game-winning fadeaway by LeBron James to secure a one-point win for the Knicks. The other was a fast-break dunk over a trailing Giannis Antetokounmpo, after which Hezonja stepped over him.
Never forget Mario Hezonja rejected prime LeBron’s buzzer beater attempt and postered prime Giannis in the same season https://t.co/voTZz9c9l9 pic.twitter.com/fEdBN27TYd
— 𝕽𝖆𝖎𝖘𝖊 𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕱𝖑𝖆𝖌𝖌✍︎ (@Raise_The_Flagg) July 22, 2026
Other than that? Well, the Knicks finished an NBA-worst 17-65. Hezonja shot just 27.6% from beyond the arc.
Since leaving the NBA, Hezonja has played overseas, including the last four years with Real Madrid in the EuroLeague. While last season was his highest-scoring average of the four years, it was also his worst in terms of three-point accuracy.
The Knicks are bringing back much of their championship roster. While they may not have a lot of forwards off the bench, they do have Landry Shamet. It was a disappointing summer league, but Mohamed Diawara proved he can play rotational minutes as a rookie last year when needed.
New York has just one roster spot open. Giving it to a third big man, or even one of their two second-round picks in Jack Kayil or Tyler Nickel, seems like the much more reasonable move.
Let one of the teams that missed out on LeBron give Hezonja a second chance in the NBA. The Cavaliers seem glad to be that team. Maybe Super Mario was interested in a return to the Big Apple, but New York was right to stay away.
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