Famed basketball patriarch LaVar Ball had high praise — and even higher expectations — following his son Lonzo Ball’s trade to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Chicago Bulls shipped Ball to Cleveland in exchange for forward Isaac Okoro ahead of the start of free agency. The Cavaliers are coming off a 64-win regular season but fell short in the playoffs, losing to the Indiana Pacers in the second round.
LaVar believes Lonzo is the missing piece Cleveland needs to take the next step.
“Lonzo’s always been that piece you need for a championship – they’ve got to make everyone better,” LaVar said during an appearance on ESPN Cleveland. “So, Cleveland just moved up to being the No. 1 team for the East.”
LaVar Ball Acknowledges Injury Concerns
Getty ImagesLonzo Ball will have a chance to carve out a role and get his career back on track with the Cavaliers.
Ball acknowledged his son’s past injury concerns but pushed back on the narrative that they define his career.
“Yeah, he’s had some problems in the past,” he said. “You’re always going to have problems when you’re trying to carry everybody on your back! When you’ve got all of this help now, I don’t see why they can’t win the championship.”
Lonzo missed two-plus seasons due to a series of knee injuries. He made steady progress and returned last season with the Bulls, appearing in 35 games with 14 starts. He averaged 22.2 minutes, 7.6 points and 3.4 rebounds.
Lonzo Ball explained his knee issues more in-depth during a May 2024 episode of the “What an Experience” podcast.
“To make a long story short: Ultimately, it started with a meniscus tear, basically started on the Lakers when I tore it the first time,” Ball said. “[I] tore it a couple more times to a point to where there was no more meniscus left, bone on bone was rubbing. So the cartilage was gone and the bone was messed up.
“So I had to get a new meniscus from a donor, I had to get a bone allograft, and I had to get some new cartilage put in as well. All that healed up and now I’m back on the court.”
Browns Lose Ty Jerome in Free Agency
Ball’s injury history is a legitimate concern, but the Cavaliers believe he’s worth the gamble. The Bulls inked Ball to a two-year, $20 million extension in February prior to the trade. The second year is a team option, giving the Cavs flexibility if injuries continue to be an issue.
Ball will have an opportunity to earn a significant role early. All-Star guard Darius Garland underwent surgery on his left big toe earlier this month and is expected to be sidelined for 4-5 months.
The Cavaliers also lost key backcourt depth in free agency. Ty Jerome, one of their top contributors off the bench last season, signed a three-year, $28 million deal with the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday. Jerome averaged 12.5 points and 3.4 assists per game, shooting an impressive 51.6% from the field and 43.9% from beyond the arc. Jerome finished third in NBA Sixth Man of the Year voting.
The Cavs did bring back sharpshooter Sam Merrill. He signed a four-year, $38 million contract over the weekend.
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