As we head into the offseason, the Cleveland Cavaliers are faced with potentially losing Ty Jerome in free agency. The veteran guard will undoubtedly attract interest from around the NBA and may be too expensive for Koby Altman to bring back on a new deal.
As such, the Cavaliers may need to pinpoint a new backup point guard for the upcoming season. According to Ethan Sands, speaking via the “Wine and Gold Talk” podcast, the Cavaliers should target Lonzo Ball.
“I don’t think you understand how good this offense would flow with Lonzo Ball as an offensive facilitator and as a defensive stopper,” Sands said. “He is the ideal backup point guard for this role..You get the passing of Tyrese Haliburton, and you get the defense of Alex Caruso. Not to mention his penetration is so good. Getting a foot in the painted area and then kicking out and his speed up and down the court. He’s one of my favorite players to just watch.”
Ball recently signed a two-year $20 million contract extension with the Chicago Bulls. The final year of that deal is a team option. Nevertheless, Ball could be available on the trade market. He would undoubtedly improve the playmaking and perimeter defense within Kenny Atkinson’s bench rotation.
Ball’s Injury History is a Concern
The only downside with targeting Ball is his long and still-growing injury history. He previously missed two full years of basketball with a persistent knee injury before returning to Chicago’s rotation last season. Even then, multiple minor knocks limited him to just 35 games.
Therefore, targeting Ball would come with significant risk for the Cavaliers. Atkinson needs a backup guard he can rely on. The last thing Cleveland needs is to be left short once the postseason rolls around.
Nevertheless, if Ball is healthy and Cleveland is confident he can stay on the court, he would be a strong addition to the roster. His playmaking, defense and perimeter scoring would fit seamlessly into the system Atkinson deploys.
Ty Jerome Could Cost Cavaliers $80 Million
ESPN’s Bobby Marks recently detailed the headache that Jerome’s future could cause for Cleveland, from a financial perspective, during a May 31 article.
“Jerome has early Bird rights, allowing Cleveland to sign him up to four years (the contract has to be a minimum of two seasons) and $64 million,” Marks wrote. “To show how punitive the luxury tax rules will be next season, a $14.3 million salary in 2025-26 costs Cleveland an additional $80 million in luxury tax penalties. The Cavaliers have the veteran minimum exception available in the likely scenario that the cost to retain Jerome becomes too high.”
Given Jerome’s potential cap hit and the luxury taxes that would come with it, his tenure with the Cavaliers may be over. If that turns out to be the case, Ball could be a strong replacement. However, Altman would be wise to cast a wide net, as running straight towards a guard who has significant injury concerns could be a mistake.
Altman has a few decisions to make this summer. Replacing or retaining Jerome is likely atop of that list.
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