NBA: Chicago Bulls trading Lonzo Ball to Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavaliers are picking up a player in return for sending Isaac Okoro the other way.
According to reports, the Chicago Bulls have traded Lonzo Ball to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Isaac Okoro, a straight-up player swap that gives both athletes a fresh start with new franchises.
Ball, now on his fourth NBA team, joins the Cavaliers after an injury-plagued stint in Chicago. Meanwhile, Okoro leaves Cleveland after five seasons to begin a new chapter with the Bulls.
Ball’s career has been marked by both promise and setbacks. After being drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers, he dealt with multiple early injuries, including shoulder and ankle issues and a torn meniscus during his first two seasons.
In 2019, he was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans, where he enjoyed a stretch of his healthiest basketball. Between 2019 and 2020, he averaged 13.1 points, 6.4 assists, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game.
His time in New Orleans ended with a move to Chicago, but injury troubles followed him. Another meniscus tear in 2020 sidelined him for the remainder of the season.
Prior to the 2022-23 campaign, Ball underwent arthroscopic debridement, and complications from the procedure led him to miss the entire season. Reports at the time noted he was experiencing ongoing discomfort during basketball activities.
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
After a long recovery, Ball gradually made his return toward the end of 2024. He started to see consistent playing time in October, and by January 2025, he had earned starts in several games.
He finished the 2024-25 season with averages of 7.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.3 steals per game.
As for Okoro, the small forward was drafted by the Cavaliers and spent all five of his professional seasons in Cleveland. His most productive year came during his rookie campaign in 2020, where he averaged 9.4 points, 3.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 0.4 blocks per game.
Since then, his numbers remained fairly steady until 2024, when his scoring and overall output dipped. He closed out that season with 6.1 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game.