If not for a two-year absence tied to a knee injury and complications from surgery, Lonzo Ball would likely be entering the prime of his NBA career. Instead, the former No. 2 overall pick said he is thankful to be playing at all. And following an offseason trade that sent him from the Chicago Bulls to the Cleveland Cavaliers, Ball’s comeback could lead him to the first championship of his career.
The Bulls traded Ball to the Cavaliers in exchange for Isaac Okoro in a move that puzzled many, considering the modest return for a player who still carries upside despite his injury history. It was a marginal price to pay for a backup point guard who could make a key impact behind Darius Garland. The backcourt got deeper with Ball’s addition, and it is one of the many reasons why Cleveland has a clear path to next season’s NBA Finals.
“Just playing, competing for a ring,” Ball said on “What an Experience.” “I feel like that should be the goal. I feel like that is the goal. Happy to get over there, get started, meet everybody, get familiar with everything and take it as far as we can.”
Another disappointing early exit from the 2025 playoffs emphasized the Cavaliers’ need for veteran depth. Shoring up the point guard rotation became all the more important when Garland underwent surgery to repair the toe injury that plagued him throughout the final weeks of the season. The star ballhandler will miss four to five months, the team said.
Ball is not entirely trustworthy from a health perspective either, though. The Cavaliers invested in a player who has yet to start for an entire season and who played in just 35 games last year following his return from the knee issues.
“It’s just a blessing, to be honest,” Ball said. “Everybody keeps asking me how I feel about the trade. I’m like, I’m happy to still be playing anywhere, let alone a team that has a real chance to win a ring. My whole life I’ve been playing the right brand of basketball, and that’s to win games. I feel like I’m going to a great situation, and I just want to play my role and do what I can to help.”
The Cavaliers do have some flexibility with Ball’s contract should he underwhelm this season. The UCLA product has two years and $20 million remaining on his contract, but the second year is a team option that the Cavaliers could decline if necessary.
Ball peaked five years ago when he averaged a career best in points (14.6) with 5.7 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game. He was only a part-time starter last season for the Bulls and produced just over half of that output to the tune of 7.6 points, 3.3 assists and 3.4 rebounds across 35 games and 14 starts.