BREAKING: Cleveland Cavaliers TRADE for LONZO BALL! | Will This BOLD MOVE Pay Off?!

BREAKING: Cleveland Cavaliers TRADE for LONZO BALL! | Will This BOLD MOVE Pay Off?!

on today’s show the Cavs have made a move isaac Aoro is out and Lonzo Ball is in we’ll talk about what that means on today’s edition of Locked on Cavs you are Locked on Cavs your daily Cleveland Cavaliers podcast part of the Locked On podcast network your team every day what’s up everybody my name is Danny Cunningham you might know me from my time covering the Cleveland Cavaliers places like my Substack The Inside Shot Cleveland Magazine 923 The Fan and a number of other stops along the way i want to say thank you to you for making Locked on Cabs your first listen today and every day you can find the show anywhere you get your podcasts Apple Spotify anywhere else make sure you drop us a fivestar rating and leave us a nice review of course be a friend tell a friend about the show and if you’re watching on YouTube hit that thumbs up button as we get started here click subscribe and hit that notification bell so you don’t miss the latest locked on Cavs content a proud part of the Locked On podcast network your team every day in this emergency episode brought to you by Game Time download the Game Time app create an account and use code lockdown NBA for $20 off your first purchase again that is code locked on NBA for $20 off that first purchase with Game Time the Cavs have made their first trade of the off seasonason they traded Lonzo or they traded Isaac Aoro to the Chicago Bulls for Lonzo Ball there are no draft picks involved in this trade is is a one for one player trade and I think that this deal is a big win for the Cavaliers now it’s not a deal that comes without risk but I think it could be one that is a very big win for them so in getting back Lonzo Ball I think he’s a perfect fit for what the Cavs need and I think some of those things were really shown in that postseason loss against the Indiana Pacers where they really struggled to deal with the pressure that the Pacers were able to put on them i think the Cavs were short on ball handling in that series i don’t think that’s some controversial thing to say and this doesn’t come without risks but Lonzo can provide them ball handling he can provide them playmaking he can provide them three-point shooting um he has one of the things that I really do like about him and I kind of will talk about what I thought of Lonzo Ball coming out of school too one of the things that I really do like about him is the way that he’s sort of turned himself into a good three-point shooter over his career because if you remember earlier in his career one of the knocks on him and this was certainly something that I didn’t like was what his jump shot looked like that he wasn’t necessarily somebody that had a clean fluid shooting motion um didn’t necessarily know that he was going to project into an average or even above average three-point shooter well for his career he’s just under 40% and I know he’s dealt with injuries we’re going to talk about that but he started his career rookie year 30% 33% 37% 37% 42% now of course limited games because of injuries and then this year in 35 games that he played he shot 34% also was dealing with a wrist injury but he provides a lot of what they need offensively a lot can be a pressure release type guy and I think that some of the pairings some of the lineups that they can try out with him I think could be really really good for this Cavs team defensively he’s a good defender i don’t think he is as good as Isaac Aoro but he’s also a guy that has a little bit more size um for so much that gets talked about with the Cavs having an unders sized back court i think one of the things that Lonzo Ball brings to the table here is that he is a 6’6 guard he is a 6’6 guard that is a good defender because when you talk about Donovan as being an undersized guard which of course Kenny Atinson has pushed back on because of Donovan’s wingspan which I do think is a fair thing to push back on not saying that he is a big guard but I do think the undersized stuff is a little bit overblown with him and then there’s no questioning that Darius Garland is undersized because he certainly does not have the same wingspan that Donovan Mitchell has but having a third guard and this was one of the things that made I think Ty Drum last year valuable offensively is that he was 6’5 now having a third guard that is 6’6 and then even when you add in Tyrese Proctor who we have no idea whether or not he will be a good NBA player at 6’5 i think that this is a good thing to have behind those guys i I really do think that this is the right type of swing now as I mentioned it doesn’t come without risks lonzo Ball was has been in Chicago since the 2021 2022 season that year he played 35 games this year this past season that just wrapped up he played 35 games so if you add those two numbers together what do you get you get 70 games played in those two seasons and then two seasons between them did not play a single minute of basketball because of a very difficult for him knee injury to get through so this does come with a lot of injury risk because there’s no promising and Lonzo did not play after the end of February i believe he needed to have a wrist procedure was not available for the rest of the regular season the last game he played with the Bulls was February 28th did not then play in the playin tournament either so that is the red flag for him he’s never once played more than 63 games in a season of course it is worth noting though that there a couple of his seasons in which he played 63 games and 55 games those two seasons were shortened so that number doesn’t necessarily actually reflect the health because they were not full 82 game seasons just something to keep in mind but he obviously does have the injury concern here that to me is the only downside for the Cavs but I also do think considering that the Cavs have been trying to trade Isaac Aoro for a while and we have talked about this on this show they have been looking to move Isaac and Isaac was not on a good contract i don’t think that he was I I know actually that he was not somebody that a lot of teams across the league wanted um I think if there was a a a higher desire for Isaac Aoro across the NBA he would have been traded probably a week ago but I do think that there just wasn’t really much out there as the Cavs were looking to move him so this is a deal that I do think you have to look at even if Lonzo Ball doesn’t play or doesn’t play much or isn’t all that useful i do think that you kind of have to look at this as a win for the Cavs because they did and this is not the thing that I think should matter to fans because you know fans are not the ones that are paying the players right like that’s not coming out of fans pocketbooks but this does save money and this is a better contract because next year so this upcoming season Lonzo Ball $10 million i believe there are some injury protections as ESPN’s Bobby Marks pointed out i don’t know the fine you know the fine print of his contract to know for sure but that is certainly part of it and then next year is a team option for $10 million where Isaac Aoro’s contract is 11 and then 11 and change I believe next year i think it’s 11 this year and 11.6 next year so this is something that the Cavs one do save some money this year and two if it doesn’t work out for Lonzo the Cavs could theoretically flip him for something else as an expiring contract or they can just decline his club option and they get a little bit of breathing room against that second apron uh potentially next summer like this could this is I think a really good swing for that reason and for what he can provide on the floor i do think that there are some fun lineups that I would really like to see Lonzo Ball be a part of in Cleveland and maybe these aren’t all fleshed out and I’m doing this roughly an hour after news broke um as you can imagine it was a lovely Saturday morning here in Cleveland and I was taking a nap and I was awoken to the oh the Cavs have made a trade so this was the first thing I started to do after that but in thinking about potential lineups with the playmaking that Lonzo brings to the table I really really think that if he is healthy having him on the floor alongside Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley could be a lot of fun offensively for this Cavs team because if you look at what he can do as a primary ball handler he can take the pressure off of Donovan Mitchell he can take pressure off of Evan Mobley and the way that he can playmake for others i think that Lonzo Ball is going to make again I feel like I have to say all of this with the caveat of if he’s healthy but I think that he can make Evan Mobley’s life so much easier i think that what he can do for Evan Mobley in terms of getting him the basketball in space getting out into the open floor because the Cavs historically have played at a little bit of a faster pace with Evan Mobley on the floor and Jared Allen off the floor and we don’t know if Jared Allen’s going to be back we don’t know that as of right now we know Evan Mobley well but the pace that they could play with that group the playmaking that Lonzo brings with that group um the shooting that could be around the rest of those guys in that group I think could And now the other thing too and I’ll talk about in a second what I think this means for Ty Jerome and even Sam Merrill to an extent but I do think that now you look at this and say okay the Cavs have not been able to have Darius Garland off the floor because Darius is one not going to play 82 games and two not going to play 48 minutes a night the Cavs have not had this level of playmaking with Garland off the floor probably since Ricky Rubio since the the flash in the pan year Ricky Rubio had before he tore his ACL and that game in New York a few years back that I mean I don’t want to say for all intents and purposes ended his career but when he came back he was not the same guy after that but that was the last time they had somebody with Darius off the floor that had this type of playmaking chops and I think Donovan is certainly really really good at that and has grown quite a bit at that in his time in Cleveland i I think that he’s just a better playmaker now than he was when he was traded from Utah to the Cavs but I don’t think he’s at Darius’s level i don’t think he’s at Lonzo Ball’s level and I think that this is a really good thing for him i think it’s a really good thing for Evan Mobley i think overall it’s a really good thing for the Cavs this is the type of trade that is not without risk because something could happen given Lonzo Ball’s injury history and he might never play for the Cavs and that is obviously not the most likely outcome but given his injury history and how severe that knee injury that cost him two seasons was that is something that you at least have to think about but if that is the case the Cavs are still in a fine spot and I do think that this is a risk that is worth taking and it’s not to say that Isaac Aoro is not a good basketball player i think he’s somebody that was not a playoff basketball player i think he was despite I I do think he brought a level of toughness and of course a good defender to the Cavs but he was somebody that opponents were not going to guard that’s why he couldn’t play in the playoffs because you saw it in the Pacers series when he was on the floor they just they have no interest in defending him the Boston Celtics last year no interest in defending him the Orlando Magic no interest in defending him the New York Knicks no interest in defending him isaac Akoro has not played a playoff series with the Cavs in which a team has defended him seriously they teams can’t do that with Lonzo Ball because the basketball is going to be in his hands so much more and he’s going to be able to do a thing that he can make plays for others he can make plays for himself and he can shoot the basketball I think a little bit more consistently and teams are going to respect him as a shooter in a way they wouldn’t respect Isaac Auroro i think other than the defense the biggest thing the Cavs will miss from Isaac Kakoro probably his screen setting ability because he for a a guard was a very very good screen setter so that is something that we’ll have to change about their offense but overall I think this this trade while not without risk I think is a very smart one for the Cavs and I don’t know that they could have done much better than this deal for Isaac Auroro if you remember if you go back I think it was last week or maybe two weeks ago did a fake trade episode this is one of the deals that I had i wasn’t so sure Chicago would do it i’m not entirely sure why Chicago is doing it but it is one that I think looks very favorable for the Cavs i think Lonzo Ball brings a lot of things exactly what the Cavs were looking for this off seasonason the biggest question with him is whether or not he will stay healthy if he stays healthy I think you feel really good about this if he doesn’t stay healthy it’s not the best thing in the world but I don’t know that it’s the worst thing in the world either now of course I think this trade doesn’t only mean stuff for Lonzo Ball doesn’t only mean stuff for Isaac Auroro i think it means stuff for Ty Drrome and Sam Murald too we’ll talk about them next right here on Locked on Caps today’s show is brought to you by Skiims yes we’re going to talk about my underwear because Skiims has the best underwear that I’ve ever worn throughout my life i have worn the same style of underwear um I am a 5 inch inseam uh the I like the stretch underwear that is what I’m into i I like feeling athletic if you will that’s what I’m going for in underwear and that is what I’ve always worn and with that I’ve worn a lot of different brands you name it I’ve probably tried it but I’ve not found a brand that fits me or feels as comfortable as SKIMS does it feels like I’m just in the best underwear there is because it’s the best underwear that I’ve worn i feel luxurious when I have it on it is my favorite underwear that I’ve ever worn and it’s you know I didn’t know what to expect when I first got the package in the mail and now just like can I get some more of this like this is great this is the best underwear that I’ve ever had i’m never more comfortable it doesn’t bunch up on the sides which has been a big problem for me with different underwear brands this keeps its shape and I think that alongside the material I mean the material is fantastic it is incredibly comfortable and breathable but the fact that it keeps its shape to me one of the best things about this underwear it is really really fantastic and if you want to feel as good about your underwear as I feel about my underwear well you need to shop with SKIMS so shop skims at.com that is skins.com and let them know we sent you after you place your order select podcast in the survey and select this show in the dropown menu that follows again shop skims.com that is skins.com if you want to feel as good about your underwear as I do go to Skiims today’s show is also brought to you by Epicor every team knows the value of hard work of taking pride in what you build and practicing every detail to get the very best results but no one player no matter how amazing can do it all alone working together makes getting the win easier and at Epicore the all-stars are the hardworking manufacturers and distributors who create and deliver the things we all need from aerospace to electrical to medical devices Epicor ERP solutions are created by industry experts to help make every day easier senior whole supply chain is easier managing logistics is easier and responding to price changes is easier from small businesses with big dreams to growing enterprises with global visions they’ll equip you with the right tools to move forward think ahead and lead the way because as the clock ticks down you need to make the most of every hardworking minute easier doesn’t cut corners easier takes the lead discover your success at easierwithepicore.com that is easier with epicor.com thank you again for making this emergency edition of Lock on Cabs your first listen or maybe a second lesson this is not going up first thing in the day on Saturday but if you’re listening to this on Sunday better be your first listen you can find the show anywhere you get your podcast Apple Spotify or anywhere else and of course I don’t think that this Lonzo Ball for Isaac Aoro swap is without repercussions i think that this is a deal that is going to have a ripple effect throughout the rest of this off season for the Cavs and the first person that I think of not involved in this trade that is I think involved in another way in this trade is Tai Jerome of course Tai had a great season for the Cavs um really a career year and I think opened a lot of eyes and was a big part of Cleveland success during the regular season had a good series against the Miami Heat and then had an abysmal series against the Indiana Pacers in the second round and I think that when you combine this deal acquiring Lonzo Ball with drafting Tyrese Proctor albeit 49 overall again have no idea whether or not he’s going to be able to play when you combine those two things it becomes very difficult for me to see Tai Drone back in Cleveland um I’m not saying that that door is closed but I don’t think that he’s going to be back if I had to bet on it I would say that Ty Drum is going to be playing basketball for another team next year i think that he will get a very good contract in free agency possibly the entire $14.1 million mid-level exception i don’t know what team is going to give him that but I would not be surprised if that is the case and I don’t think that these two things are connected like I don’t think the Cavs made this trade because they’re going to lose Tyro i think they made this trade because it’s probably the best thing they could have gotten for Isaac Aoro in the trade market and it just so happens he plays the same position Tyronome does but I also do think that this is certainly an insurance policy and I think that the most likely outcome and I I believe I mentioned this on Friday’s show um with Spencer Davies talking about Tyresese Proctor i think there were points during this offseason where the Cavs felt optimistic about retaining Tyrone but I I believe I mentioned this on Friday i do not think that they feel optimistic about it now i I think that it is at this point much more likely than not that Tai is playing somewhere else next season so I do think that this is something that maybe the Cavs are preparing a little bit but I don’t think they made this deal because of that but I do think that that would ease the loss should Tai sign somewhere else which again would be my expectation we don’t know for sure but that is what I believe will ultimately happen i don’t know where but I would be surprised if it’s in Cleveland now transitioning to Sam Merrill i think this deal actually makes it more likely that the Cavs retain Sam Merrill because they can pay him money they can essentially pay whatever they want for him i believe they have his bird rights of course they’re not going to give him some max contract but they can pay him um that’s not an issue with him the same way that it is Tai because with Tai they have early bird rights again I believe I believe with Sam they have full bird rights so they can pay him you know they could theoretically match any offer that he gets in free agency and I don’t think that he’s going to get the same money that Tai is going to get in free agency i I think that Sam’s contract in free agency whether it’s from the Cavs or anybody else if I had to bet will be around half of what Tai Drone gets so when you think about that it’s not just half of what Ty Drone gets it’s also way less in luxury tax penalties that you have to pay and I also do think about this from a team building standpoint i mentioned that lineup with Donovan Mitchell and Lonzo Ball and Evan Mobley and because of how the Cavs because of Lonzo’s size there like you could theoretically have Sam Merrill on the floor there and Lonzo’s playing the three because he is 6’6 where he can play the three defensively and he can defend opponent’s wings where I think a lot of the problem with Sam last year was that he was playing the three so often and you can get away with that on offense like that’s fine that’s not a big deal but defensively having to defend other teams wings and I think Sam is a good defender he’s not a great defender but I I think he’s a better defender than probably what his reputation says he is but having him defend threes is putting him in a tough spot where having him play his natural position and and you have three guys to defend in Evan Mobley um Lonzo Ball and maybe DeAndre Hunter playing the four there that could be a really fun lineup and I think that Sam really does fit into this into this team and I think that this trade while making it less likely that Ty Jerome is back I think it makes it probably a little bit more likely than Sam Merrill is back i know that there were people online and I I I know people online thought Tyrese Proctor probably a Sam Merrell replacement i don’t see it that way um I think that he is somebody that can provide a little bit more than Sam in terms of ball handling and playmaking so I just don’t think that that is a one forone thing but I think that this deal and I don’t know what Sam’s contract’s going to look like i don’t know if potential other suitors out there i don’t know what his market is going to look like in free agency of course every team can use shooting and Sam Merrill is just that but I do think that making this move and saving a little bit of money too that is the one thing that’s worth noting where it’s not just the $1 million less in salary this year it’s the the luxury tax penalties that you save by chopping $1 million off the Cavs save a not insignificant amount of money so that is something that makes this worth it because it could help to bring back Sam Merrell which I personally think would be a really good thing for the Cavs so I do think overall this is a good move not just because who Lonzo Ball is as a player not just because what it could mean for the rest of the roster but just overall I think it’s a move that the Cavs should be happy about now I have to talk about what I thought about Lonzo coming out of the draft when he left UCLA years ago and how he’s transformed his game because I think it’s been a very interesting journey for him and I think it’s a cool story uh certainly to talk about so we’re going to do that next right here on Octon Cavs today’s show brought to you by Game Time have you ever decided at the last minute that you want to head to a ball game with friends or family i have i’ve absolutely done that i do it probably a couple times a summer even if you know maybe I just want to go by myself on like a Thursday afternoon or Wednesday afternoon at noon when hanging out alone why not just head down to the ballard catch the local nine even if they can’t hit the broadside of a barn right now um so maybe today is game day and last I checked today is game day in Cleveland and you just want to go be in the stands because for whatever reason that’s what you want to do today or tomorrow that’s exactly where game times in game time comes in because it is the easiest way to grab last minute tickets without all the stress with the money that you save on tickets too maybe you can bring a friend with you or load up on concessions buy some gear do all that good stuff too because you’re going to have a little bit more money to spend with the money that you save with Game Time game Time makes buying tickets fast and simple and prices on the app actually drop the closer you get to first pitch plus they’ve got incredible last minute deals clear seat views which I love i want to know what my view of the field is going to look like before I purchase a ticket and a lowest price guarantee that takes the worry out of buying tickets so take the guesswork out of buying tickets with Game Time download the Game Time app create an account and use code lockdown NBA for $20 off your first purchase terms do apply again create an account redeem code lockdown NBA that is Lok Ced NBA for $20 off that first purchase download the Game Time app today last minute tickets lowest price guaranteed so I do have to admit when Lonzo Ball was drafted second overall by the Los Angeles Lakers back in 2017 I didn’t understand it um I at that point watched more college basketball than I do right now and I had watched UCLA games i had watched Lonzo Ball play um I did not buy into the hype of Lonzo Ball i just didn’t see him as somebody that was worthy of being a number two overall pick and of course this doesn’t matter for what he is now but I do think it’s cool the way that he has gone from somebody that was expected to be franchise savior probably a little bit too strong of terms but he was expected to be a star in LA and his career has not gone according to plan whether because he was just a little bit overhyped coming out of college obviously the injuries that have submarined his career quite a bit but he went from somebody that was expected to be an all-star an allNBA type guy a franchise point guard and he very clearly has never been that but the way that he’s made himself into when he is healthy a very very good role player I think is a really cool story and I do think too it’s a really cool story the way he’s overcome all of the injuries that he’s dealt with in his career obviously that’s not what he would want that’s not what any player would want they you don’t want to deal with that that’s not how you want your career to go but that’s that has been the cards that he has been dealt and I think that the way that he fought back from the knee injury is a really cool thing and there’s a story that ESPN did i believe it was Ramona Shelburn yes it was Ramona Shelburn um did a really great job detailing what Lonzo Ball’s return to the NBA was like so he missed a thousand days because of this knee injury and he had quite a few surgeries it was a really really rough thing for him to get to but I would urge everybody to go check out what she wrote the story came out in December of 2024 so December of this season that just finished um and she wrote about what the journey was like for him to get back on the floor i would go recommend that um I think it’s a really really cool thing i think it’s a thing that every Cavs fan should go read um to try and learn just a little bit more about the newest member of the Cavs but again overall I think this is a trade that while not without risk is a very good one for the Cavs i don’t think they could have gotten anything better than Lonzo Wall for Isaac Aoro and truthfully I am not entirely sure why the Chicago Bulls did this trade um it doesn’t necessarily make sense to me but I think it’s a very very good trade for the Cleveland Cavaliers i mentioned I know I mentioned on the podcast the other day after the the first round of their draft that the Cavs should be calling the New Orleans Pelicans uh to see what kind of trades they want to make uh the Chicago Bulls I think are a front office that needs to be mentioned there um I just don’t necessarily understand a lot of their deals and maybe this is one that similar to what Oklahoma City did acquiring Alex Caruso last year from the Bulls in a player for player swap of course Caruso healthier um and the Bulls did better getting Josh Giddy back than Isaac Auroro but maybe this can be the Cavs version of that trade going into next season but thank you for making this emergency episode of Locked on Cavs your first listen on this beautiful Saturday you can find the show anywhere you get your podcast if you found this make sure you hit that subscribe button on Apple Spotify or anywhere else and if you’re watching on YouTube as we get out of here hit that thumbs up button for me click subscribe and hit that notification bell i’ll be back on Monday talking more about the Cleveland Cavaliers

On this episode of Locked On Cavs, Danny Cunningham (The Inside Shot, 92.3 The Fan, Cleveland Magazine) analyzes the recent trade between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Chicago Bulls, which sent Isaac Okoro to Chicago in exchange for Lonzo Ball. He examines Ball’s potential impact on the Cavs, discussing his skills in ball handling, playmaking, and three-point shooting. The podcast explores how Ball’s 6’6″ frame could address concerns about the Cavs’ undersized backcourt and potential lineup combinations with Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley. Danny also addresses the injury risks associated with Ball, who has played only 70 games over the past two seasons due to a severe knee issue. The episode covers the financial implications of the trade, including Ball’s contract details and how it affects the team’s salary cap. Additionally, Danny discusses the ripple effects on other players like Ty Jerome and Sam Merrill, suggesting Jerome’s return to Cleveland is now unlikely while Merrill’s chances of staying have increased. The podcast concludes with a reflection on Ball’s career journey and recommends an ESPN article by Ramona Shelburne for fans seeking more insight into the Cavs’ new player.
Check out Danny’s Substack, The Inside Shot: https://theinsideshot.substack.com/
Email the show: LOCavsmailbag@gmail.com
Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!
OLIPOP
Get a free can of OLIPOP! Just buy any two cans in store and they’ll reimburse you for one. Head to drinkolipop.com/LOCKEDONNBA to claim your free can and find OLIPOP near you.
SKIMS
Shop SKIMS Mens at SKIMS.com/lockedonnba. Let them know we sent you! After you place your order, select “podcast” in the survey and select our show in the dropdown menu that follows.
OpenPhone
Streamline and scale your customer communications with OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first 6 months at www.openphone.com/lockedonnba
WayFair
Give your home the refresh it needs with Wayfair. Head to Wayfair.com right now. Wayfair. Every style. Every home.
Monarch Money
Take control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code LOCKEDONNBA at monarchmoney.com/lockedonnba for 50% off your first year
Gametime
Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNBA for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime.
FanDuel
Right now, new customers can get ONE HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS in BONUS BETS when your first FIVE DOLLAR BET WINS! Download the app or head to FANDUEL.COM to get started. Bet with FanDuel—Official Partner of the NBA.
FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms…
🎧 https://link.chtbl.com/LOCavs?sid=YouTube

Locked On NBA League-Wide: Every Team, Fantasy, Draft, WNBA & More
🎧 https://linktr.ee/LockedOnNBA

#Cavs #ClevelandCavaliers #NBA