Cavaliers Acquire Lonzo Ball From Bulls for Isaac Okoro

Cleveland is shaking up its backcourt.
Lonzo Ball hits a three-pointer against the Raptors.
Lonzo Ball hits a three-pointer against the Raptors. / Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images

In the wake of a disappointing playoff exit, it appears the Cleveland Cavaliers are shaking up their backcourt.

The Cavaliers are trading guard Isaac Okoro to the Chicago Bulls for guard Lonzo Ball, according to a Saturday morning report from ESPN's Shams Charania.

RELATED. Lonzo Ball Trade Grades: How Did Cavs, Bulls Fare?. Lonzo Ball Trade Grades: How Did Cavs, Bulls Fare?. dark

Okoro, 24, has played his entire five-year career with Cleveland, which drafted him fifth out of Auburn in 2020. He was named to the All-Rookie team in 2021, and is renowned as a plus defender.

Ball, on the other hand, has had one of the strangest career arcs of the 21st century. An All-American at UCLA who has long enjoyed a considerable media profile, he shuffled between three teams in the first five years of his career.

With the Bulls, a recurring knee injury cost him two full seasons. He returned in 2024-25 and played 35 games, averaging 7.6 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game.

The Cavaliers went 64-18 this season, but lost in the Eastern Conference semifinals to the Indiana Pacers.


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Patrick Andres
PATRICK ANDRES

Patrick Andres is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in December 2022, having worked for The Blade, Athlon Sports, Fear the Sword and Diamond Digest. Andres has covered everything from zero-attendance Big Ten basketball to a seven-overtime college football game. He is a graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism with a double major in history .