The city of Cleveland wanted another homecoming; LeBron had other ideas.
LeBron James was heavily rumored to make one last return to his hometown team, the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Cavs were even betting favorites on multiple sites to land The King. Instead, LeBron has taken his talents to the Philadelphia 76ers in a quest to win one last ring.
The Cavaliers seemed to have much of their offseason focus centered on LeBron. Now, the wine and gold need to figure out quickly what they can do next to shape their roster in a way that allows them to compete against a stacked Eastern Conference. While the free agency pool is dwindling, there are still moves to be made that can bolster the Cavaliers’ roster.
Mario Hezonja, SF/PF, Real Madrid
Mario Hezonja is a player who has been heavily rumored as a fallback option for the Cavaliers if the team did not land LeBron. Now that LeBron has chosen elsewhere, the Liga Endesa MVP may make sense to help bolster the bench of the Cavaliers.
Hezonja, the former fifth overall pick, has rebuilt his career overseas, averaging 17.5 points per game, 4.9 rebounds per game, and 1.9 assists per game in only 23.5 minutes per game. A legit 6’8” forward with shot-creating ability is something the Cavs have long been looking for.
While Hezonja never established himself in the NBA, the Cavs could be a real opportunity to change that. Hezonja’s low cost, most likely a minimum contract, makes the Liga Endesa MVP an interesting bench addition for the wine and gold.
Georges Niang, PF/SF, Atlanta Hawks
Georges Niang is a player Cavs fans are familiar with. Niang was a member of the Cavaliers from 2023 to 2025 before being included in the De’Andre Hunter trade, which sent him to the Atlanta Hawks. Niang would be another role player for the wine and gold, and while it would not be a flashy move, with what is left in the free agency pool, Niang makes sense for depth purposes.
Niang, too, would be a low-cost acquisition for bench production the Cavaliers are familiar with.
Ochai Agbaji, SG/SF, Brooklyn Nets
Ochai Agbaji is an intriguing option for the Cavaliers, as he is only 26 and has decent size for his position at 6’5”. Agbaji last played for the Nets after being traded at the NBA trade deadline by the Raptors. Agbaji is a former lottery pick and has had an up-and-down NBA career, averaging 5.1 points, 2.3 rebounds and 0.8 assists last season, underperforming his draft status.
If the Cavaliers, who drafted Agbaji in the 2022 draft before trading him to the Jazz in the Donovan Mitchell trade, think that they can take on a reclamation project, Agbaji may be the fit. Agbaji’s cost would be low, but he could bring upside at a position of need.
Something Needs to Be Done
While none of these moves raise the Cavs’ ceiling like adding LeBron James would, they could have upside for the Cavaliers’ bench depth. If the Cavaliers truly want to move the needle on their roster, they must use a combination of moves like these as well as bigger swings in the trade market.
While no one knows what the Cavaliers will do next, one thing is certain: something must be done as the Eastern Conference continues to get more loaded.
Add us as a preferred source on Google
