Mario Hezonja waiving off Donovan Mitchell shows why the Cavs signed him: ‘I’m here to help you’

ORLANDO, FL - OCTOBER 13: Mario Hezonja #33 of the Cleveland Cavaliers smiles during the game against the Orlando Magic on October 13, 2026 at Kia Center in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images CLEVELAND — Mario Hezonja doesn’t lack confidence. He showed that in his first NBA game in six years when he waived off Donovan Mitchell and backed his opponent down from the three-point line for a much-needed basket at the end of the third quarter.On the surface, a bench player waiving off the superstar for an isolation might seem outlandish, but that is exactly what Hezonja was brought to do in Cleveland.“I told him [Mitchell] you’re not supposed to bring the ball up under pressure because we need you in the last quarter,” Hezonja said on Saturday. “We need you in the playoffs. We need you in game 80, game 60. Having somebody like me that can help. As I said on the first day, I’m here to help you. … As much pressure that I can take off of him, and James [Harden], Evan [Mobley], and Jarrett [Allen], players we need a lot, is just going to be so beneficial for the group.”There’s incredible value in having a veteran that can recognize what the situation needs, and isn’t afraid to call his own number if that’s what the defense is daring him to do.“I waived JT (Jaylon Tyson) so he creates space for me to go one-on-one against my mismatch,” Hezonja said. “I spoke to James [Harden] and Donovan; there’s five of us on the court, and you need to read those mismatch situations.”Support us and rep the Browns with Homage!Anything bought from the links helps support Fear the Sword. You can buy the Browns throwback shirt HERE. You can also shop all of Homage’s Cleveland gear HERE.Reading mismatches and exploiting them has been an issue at times for the Cavs. In high-leverage situations, teams have been able to get away with putting smaller defenders on bigs like Mobley and Allen. Sometimes the Cavs have exploited that — like Game 7 of last year’s first-round series against the Toronto Raptors — and sometimes they haven’t. Hezonja is only one game into his return to the NBA after a six-year hiatus, but the early results have been encouraging. His game fits into exactly what you want to see from a supporting player. It’s why head coach Kenny Atkinson called Hezonja’s play “one of the positives” from Thursday’s loss. Hezonja thought he’d be nervous for his first NBA game after spending the last six years in Europe. And maybe he would’ve, if it wasn’t for how welcoming his new team has been. They’re putting him in a position to be the best version of himself.“It’s much easier than I thought, thanks to my teammates, to the staff, and pretty much everybody in the organization, from the top to the last person, really since day one, they embraced me with open arms,” Hezonja said when asked about his return.“They know the basketball player that I am, but they also got to know the person that I am, so it’s definitely been super great, very welcoming. I hope that the comfort zone I’m feeling, people can see it’s thanks to them.”