What happened: Law Murray highlighted Mario Hezonja as the veteran wing punished smaller defenders on the low block for quick bench offense. The forward finalized his one-year NBA return on July 31 after initial agreement terms surfaced July 24.

Why it matters: Using a physical wing as an interior hub gives reserve lineups a dependable half-court scoring option without relying on perimeter creation. Punishing defensive switches inside helps stabilize bench stretches during the 2026-27 regular season.

What to watch: Rotation patterns across the opening weeks of the 2026-27 schedule will determine how consistently second-unit sets run through him in the post.