Lonzo Ball excited for fresh start with Cavaliers

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — Lonzo Ball doesn’t have to worry about rehabbing from a knee injury for the first time in a couple of seasons.

Instead, the veteran guard will use the off-season to get acclimated to a new team.

Ball was at the Cleveland Cavaliers’ practice complex meeting with the medical staff and coaches on Monday after his trade from the Chicago Bulls for forward Isaac Okoro was finalized on Sunday.

Chicago and Cleveland agreed to the trade on June 28, but it didn’t become official until the start of the new league year on Sunday.

“I think it’s a great situation for my play style,” Ball said. “Don (Donovan Mitchell) is one of the best players we have in the league. And they have two bigs that are mobile, can set pick-and-rolls and get to the rim like that. And then do some switching on defence. I think we can do a lot of different things on both sides of the ball, and to have the option to be able to do those things is great.”

Ball averaged 7.6 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 35 games this past season after missing the 2022-23 and 2023-24 campaigns because of a left knee injury. The 27-year-old Ball underwent a meniscus and cartilage transplant in his left knee in March 2023 after two surgeries failed to fix an injury he suffered during his first season in Chicago in 2021-22.

He missed the last two months of the season due to a sprained right wrist, but was encouraged with the way his knee held up throughout the season.

“After the games, I didn’t really know what to expect. But, you know, when I first got back versus Minnesota in that preseason game, I was kind of surprised that I was moving around,” Ball said. “I feel like I just got better as the year went on. Unfortunately, I had to deal with my wrist, but as far as my knee was concerned, it was pretty good.”

Ball, the second overall pick by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2017 draft, has one year remaining on his contract with a team option for the 2026-27 season.

Cleveland had a need at point guard after Ty Jerome signed with the Memphis Grizzlies. Starter Darius Garland is likely to miss the start of the regular season after undergoing surgery on his left big toe last month.

The Cavaliers had the second-best record in the NBA at 64-18 but were eliminated in the Eastern Conference semifinals by the Indiana Pacers in five games.

Ball has yet to take part in a playoff game in the six seasons he has played, which is something he is hoping will change.

“When you start in September or October, you can’t look too far ahead. But they were No. 1 in the East last year, so everybody knows that. It’s pretty much ring or nothing,” he said. “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. Right now, it’s more so just being in the weight room, making sure my lower body is good and stuff like that.”