The Cleveland Cavaliers had two options this offseason: run it back with the same team that won 64 games and flamed out in the second round in a wide-open East? Or make some changes to better their position? The Cavs chose the latter by trading Isaac Okoro to the Chicago Bulls for Lonzo Ball.
Cleveland is operating under the second apron this offseason and with Ty Jerome and Sam Merrill being key free agents and expecting huge raises, the Cavs had to mitigate the risk of losing both on the market. They have done that with the acquisition of Ball and the drafting of Duke guard Tyrese Proctor.
As for the Bulls, they take a flyer on Okoro, a young defensive-minded wing that will benefit from playing on a fast-paced team. He is owed $28 million over the next two years and Chicago was getting first-round pick offers for Ball at the deadline, but his market cooled this offseason.
The Cavs made a prudent move with the addition of Lonzo Ball
With Darius Garland out for the next four months due to toe surgery and Jerome’s budding free agent market, Cleveland needed to add another ball handler. Ball gives them what they have been lacking at the backup point guard spot.
Ball was part of the reason why the Bulls ranked first in pace last season and is a strong floor general. For a Cavs team that wants to play fast and keep everyone involved, Ball is the perfect fit. Outside of Garland, Cleveland didn’t have a guard with the ability to feed their big men and keep the team’s ball movement flowing. He also offers floor spacing, as he nailed 39 percent of his corner threes last season and 41 percent on open threes.
Ball has also always been a plus defender throughout his career and can guard multiple positions. He has never had a negative DPBM (defensive box plus minus) in his career, averaged more than two deflections per game this past season, and is very strong at the point of attack. He allows for the Cavs to deploy a three-guard lineup because of his strong defense.
On a team with a small backcourt of Garland and Mitchell, Cleveland needs to surround them with length. They did that in the frontcourt with Mobley and Allen, and now they have done it in the backcourt with the addition of Ball.
The Bulls could have gotten more for Ball, but Okoro isn't bad
For the Bulls, Okoro is a plus defender that is relentless on the ball. He is highly athletic and plays with energy. While his struggles in the postseason are well-documented (30 percent from three for his career), Okoro is a strong shooter in the regular season, as he nailed 38 percent of his threes last year. With Chicago continuing their rebuild, taking flyers on young players is the right thing to do.
Okoro was in need of a fresh start. Maybe with a bigger role with the Bulls he can finally develop offensively. With the Cavs, after the Donovan Mitchell trade in 2022, Okoro’s development was fast-tracked as Cleveland adjusted to win-now mode.
He wasn’t able to grow the slashing part of his game, as he needed to grow into a 3-and-D wing, but with more opportunity on the Bulls, who are rebuilding, maybe he can gain more versatility in his offense.
It is fair to wonder if Chicago waited too long to pull the plug on Ball, but Okoro’s youth and defense will be beneficial. As for the Cavs, they got a versatile role player that they desperately needed and got some small, but much-needed, cap relief ($1 million in savings for this year; Ball has a team option next summer). Both teams got what they needed in this trade.