Cleveland Cavaliers May Finally Be Getting the Lonzo Ball They Traded For

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Lonzo Ball did not start off his tenure with the team on the right foot. However, he is beginning to turn things around as of late.

After missing the past two games, Ball played 25 minutes off the bench, scoring six points and grabbing eight rebounds in a 14-point win over the Orlando Magic. Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell spoke to Ball's maturity as a veteran and believes he can continue to be a bright spot for the team.

“With him, he is always there. He is a steady vet. I think for him knowing that we were down, he comes in there and with being on the boards, getting the break, pushing the pace, getting guys involved, playing the two-man game, like he was doing all the little things you need. That is what you want from him. That’s why he is who he is. He was a big spark for us.”

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Lonzo Ball warms up before action against the Philadelphia 76ers. | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Lonzo Ball Can Bounce Back For Cavaliers

Ball was acquired in a trade in the offseason for Isaac Okoro with the Chicago Bulls. The Cavs were hoping that they would get some point guard depth with Ball instead of Okoro, but things haven't worked out the way that they had hoped.

Ball is averaging a career-low five points per game, and he has only appeared in 31 of the team's 47 contests so far this year. The hope for the Cavs is that Ball can continue to be part of the second unit, which has earned the trust of head coach Kenny Atkinson.

"Trust your roster, trust your bench. I felt like tonight, it was one of those nights we needed... we had to play everybody. Everybody was going to play back-to-back; definitely fatigued. We just kind of rotated guys and Donovan, we just had to ride him. We usually get him out in that fourth quarter. And I felt like the game was in the balance. So, we have a day off tomorrow, so we rode him. That was a good call by the coach," Atkinson said after the team's last game against the Magic.

If Ball can continue to play well, the Cavs will be in better shape in the long run.

Ball and the Cavs will look to continue this spark of momentum with another game against the Magic at 7:00 p.m. ET inside Rocket Arena. Fans can watch the game on FanDuel Sports Network or stream it on Peacock.