Lonzo Ball, the former second overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, has expressed enthusiasm about his recent trade to the Cleveland Cavaliers. After a stint with the Chicago Bulls, Ball is set to get his NBA career back on track with the Cavaliers. He says the team’s environment is an ideal fit for his up-tempo style of play. The trade, finalized late Sunday afternoon, follows what has been an emotional and challenging stretch filled with injury and rehabilitation.
At 27 years old, Ball has three years left on his contract. This agreement comes with a 2026-27 season team option. This past season he started 35 games and averaged 7.6 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. Sadly, injuries forced him to miss the rest of that campaign. He sat out the whole of last season and the start of this one. A significant left knee injury sustained during his junior year required him to undergo a meniscus and cartilage transplant in March 2023.
Throughout the past two seasons, I went under the knife several times to no avail. I’m hopeful because my knee has made it through the first few preseason games. We can’t let it happen again,” Ball said. His resilience in the pursuit of fitness is the personal mission that allows him to step into the batter’s box come opening day next season. “Right now, it’s more so just being in the weight room making sure my lower body is good and stuff like that,” he added.
The Cavaliers had been in the market for a point guard since Ty Jerome signed with the Memphis Grizzlies. Ball’s arrival fills that gap effectively. He noted the importance of being ready for the season’s demands: “It’s just making sure I’m prepared to be as available as possible and put myself in the best position to finish the season strong.”
Getting that kind of result stunned Ball after being away from the game for so long, considering he returned during NBA preseason. Well after the games I had no idea what to expect. He went on to say, “I was amazed at how good I was moving around when I first got back, that was during that first preseason game against Minnesota.
Ball joins a team that finished first in the Eastern Conference last season. He knows what kind of competitive fire is fueling the Cavaliers’ championship aspirations. You know, when you start in September or October you don’t have the luxury of planning too far in advance. Yet they were No. 1 in the East last year, so everyone is aware of that already. It’s basically ring or bust,” he said.
Lonzo Ball looking forward to fresh start with Cavaliers. He wants to have an immediate impact and to finally play in playoff games after being in the league for six years and never having that chance before.
Leave a Reply