The Cleveland Cavaliers have acquired point guard Lonzo Ball from the Chicago Bulls. This trade adds another ball-handler to one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. Initial reactions suggest that receiving Ball in exchange for Isaac Okoro is a significant gain for the Cavaliers. However, the Bulls` perspective on the trade is raising questions.
Ball is expected to serve as a high-quality backup point guard for Cleveland, playing behind All-Star Darius Garland. He appeared in 35 games for the Bulls this season, averaging 7.6 points, 3.3 assists, and 3.4 rebounds, marking his return after a two-year recovery from a knee injury. Ball`s contract has two years left on a $20 million deal, featuring a second-year option, which offers Cleveland financial flexibility.
From Cleveland`s standpoint, trading Okoro seems logical considering their strength in the frontcourt and his reduced playing time. Okoro averaged a career-low 19.1 minutes per game last season. His role had lessened in his fifth year with the team, transitioning from an impactful starter in his early seasons to a bench player in recent years.
The reaction to Chicago`s surprising decision to trade Ball was significant:
It`s unclear what the Bulls find appealing in Okoro. As he enters his sixth NBA season, the former first-round draft pick is coming off career lows, averaging just 6.1 points per game for the Cavaliers last season, where he started only 22 games.
Considering previous roster changes involving key players, the return for the Bulls appears minimal. Alex Caruso recently won an NBA championship with the OKC Thunder, and now Lonzo Ball is joining a leading team in the Eastern Conference.
Cleveland isn`t expected to require heavy minutes from Ball. Instead, they acquire a point guard with demonstrated talent who showed positive signs upon returning from his injury.
Rather than trading Ball for a draft pick before this week`s draft, Chicago waited and received a meager return. As noted by Kevin O`Connor, this appears to be an odd decision for a team that needs to develop young talent.
Ty Jerome, in his second season with the Cavaliers, posted a career-high average of 12.5 points coming off the bench and offered reliable perimeter shooting. Jerome is now a free agent, having signed a two-year contract with the team in 2023.
Jasper Hawthorne