Lonzo Ball has re-established his value well enough that a top playoff team is making a move for him.
The Chicago Bulls are trading Ball to the Cleveland Cavaliers, according to Shams Charania of ESPN. The Bulls will receive Isaac Okoro in return.
BREAKING: The Chicago Bulls are trading Lonzo Ball to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Isaac Okoro, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/W0FTrRhe7y
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 28, 2025
This marks a rather strange shift for the Bulls, who just signed Ball to a two-year contract extension in February. That came after a flood of trade rumors linked him to a trio of playoff teams. It is not surprising that good teams were interested in Ball, but the Bulls seemed like they wanted to keep him around.
Ball managed to come back from a set of severe knee injuries and re-establish himself as a quality player for Chicago last season. He played in 35 games and averaged 7.6 points and 3.3 assists in 22.2 minutes per game. The injury risk remains, but Ball is an extremely useful player as long as he can remain on the floor.
The Cavaliers were the top seed in the Eastern Conference last season, but they flamed out early in the playoffs in embarrassing fashion. This might not be the last change they make this offseason as they try to break through and make a real run at the NBA Finals.
