Mario Hezonja's NBA Return Gives Timberwolves Intriguing PF Option

The largest looming offseason question for the Minnesota Timberwolves continues to be what they are going to do at the power forward position. After trading both Julius Randle and Naz Reid, the Wolves are left with a solid rotation of guards and wings, but lack traditional frontcourt depth.

A new potential option to fill that void for the Wolves recently revealed itself as Mario Hezonja, the former fifth overall pick from the 2015 NBA Draft. He is returning to the NBA after playing the previous six seasons in the EuroLeague.

Latest on former No. 5 overall pick Mario Hezonja per league sources:

🏀 Hezonja indeed expected to rejoin the NBA for the first time since 2019-20.

🏀 Multiple NBA teams have shown interest in the Real Madrid forward.

🏀 List said to include teams also pursuing LeBron James. pic.twitter.com/le0tCT8FYi
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) July 22, 2026

Despite concerns, Wolves could consider Mario Hezonja for frontcourt help

Hezonja struggled in his five NBA seasons with the Orlando Magic, New York Knicks, and Portland Trail Blazers, averaging just 6.9 points per contest across 330 career games. While he did have a few memorable moments, including a game-sealing block of LeBron James, Hezonja left the NBA following the 2020 NBA Bubble.

Hezonja's game has taken large strides forward in recent seasons with Spain's Real Madrid, including last year when he played with recent Timberwolves signee Trey Lyles. Over the past four seasons with Real, Hezonja averaged 13 points per game, while shooting 37.6 percent from beyond the arc on 4.9 attempts per contest.

The big question for Hezonja is whether that increased production will translate to the NBA after more than six years away, or if his return to the league more closely resembles the player that failed to live up to the lefty projections coming out of the draft.

The case for Hezonja is that it does take some players longer to develop and time away from the NBA can help reset of player's career. An example of one of these success stories is another fifth overall pick, Dante Exum, who spent two years away from the NBA in the EuroLeague before returning for a pair of productive seasons with the Dallas Mavericks.

It is notable that Hezonja has reportedly received interest from multiple teams, signaling there are front offices who may believe Hezonja has some quality minutes to play. It is also interesting that among those interested teams are those who are also after LeBron James, which would theoretically include the Wolves.

It is also fair to be skeptical of Hezonja's ability to convert his game from the EuroLeague back to the NBA. His last season with the Trail Blazers did not inspire confidence, as his minutes fell to just 16.4 per game. His career 3-point shooting numbers also don't jump off the page, as he made less than 32 percent.

Ultimately, if the Timberwolves end up bringing in Hezonja with the idea of placing him in the starting lineup, that would likely be a mistake. A bench role, however, could be a good fit for a team that is in need of more size along with shooting ability next to Rudy Gobert and Joan Beringer.

Everything right now is at a standstill as the Timberwolves and the entire league wait on a decision from LeBron, but if the Wolves are not able to lure the 41-year-old NBA legend to Minnesota, Hezonja could be a way to fill the power forward gap while the front office searches for a more sizable move.

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