India, July 27 -- Mario Hezonja is set to make his long-awaited return to the NBA after six seasons in Europe, agreeing to a one-year contract worth $2.8 million with the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Croatian forward, who spent the last four years with Real Madrid in the EuroLeague, will return to the league for the first time since 2020. ESPN's Shams Charania was the first to report the agreement, confirming that Cleveland had secured the services of the former fifth overall draft pick.

The Cavaliers moved quickly once the NBA free-agency market opened up, making Hezonja a priority addition to strengthen their wing rotation. Cleveland reportedly beat out competition from the Golden State Warriors, who were also interested in signing the 31-...