The Cleveland Cavaliers and Chicago Bulls swapped players Saturday, specifically Isaac Okoro for Lonzo Ball.
It’s a deal that’s actually fairly well-balanced, so let’s get into it.
Cleveland gets a Ty Jerome replacement
With Ball coming in to Cleveland, you can probably rule out a return of free agent Ty Jerome this summer, as Ball is going to take over the backup point-guard role.
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The 27-year-old missed two full seasons due to left knee issues, going through three surgeries, making a stunning comeback this past season by playing 35 games for the Bulls and displaying better movement than most would have anticipated.
Cleveland takes a certain level of risk here because Ball is no lock to play 50 or 60 games, but they’re swinging on the upside of him being ready for a postseason run. Ball’s on-court IQ is substantial, and his defensive know-how remains an asset for any team.
Ball signed a two-year extension worth $20 million, which triggers this summer. The second year has a team option in case his injury pattern re-emerges.
Basically, the Cavs have an easy out here if needed, so they’re only on the hook for his salary this year, which accounts for just 6.47% of the projected salary cap.
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The fact they gave up Okoro, who has become a rarely used wing, won’t hurt their depth, with De’Andre Hunter absorbing a lot of those minutes.
Grade: A
Bulls gain better roster symmetry
The Bulls were loaded with guards, and it was frankly time to do something about it.
The Bulls extended Ball for this very reason — so they could ship him out in a future trade — showing surprising foresight for an organization that’s historically had very little.
The yield is Okoro, a 6-foot-5 wing who can hit the corner 3 and play rock-solid defense.
He’s not a high-volume guy and probably never will be, but he can integrate himself into the fabric of a team where he doesn’t feature heavily, and that’s not a bad ability to have.
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Okoro will play hard, he’ll be an active and switchable defender, and he’ll give Chicago needed depth at small forward, with Patrick Williams and Matas Buzelis better suited as natural fours.
Okoro’s contract is also fine. He signed a three-year deal in 2024 worth $33 million, so a little over $22.8 million is left over the next two seasons.
That’s a very manageable number, and the Bulls essentially lock in a rotation wing for a number that falls way short of the non-tax MLE, which is actually decent work.
Of course, it’s still unclear what Chicago’s plan is, so in the context of potential follow-up moves, this becomes a tough grade.
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Are they planning to compete and view Okoro as someone who will significantly help get them into the playoffs? If so, that’s probably a little too optimistic.
Is he instead considered a solid contract who will help steady the secondary rotation? If so, then that’s a bull’s-eye.
Grade: Incomplete, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
