NBA veteran Lonzo Ball has not had an easy road to recovery since a series of injuries ravaged his health. This summer, after four years with the Bulls, his career took another twist in a trade that sent him to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Despite leaving behind unfinished business in Chicago, Ball says he’s looking forward to the new opportunity.
“Just playing, competing for a ring. I feel like that should be the goal, I feel like that is the goal,” Ball said, on the What an Experience podcast. “So, happy to get over there and get started. To meet everybody, get familiar with everything, and take it as far as we can.“
Ball had a good thing going with the Bulls back during the 2021-22 campaign. They were first in the East for months before Lonzo’s injury derailed their playoff ambitions. The Bulls soon gave up on Lonzo (for Isaac Okoro), but he doesn’t hold it against them. Instead, he’s embracing the change and believes a title is possible.
“I feel like it’s just a blessing, bro. To be honest, I mean, everybody keeps asking me how I feel about the trade,” Ball said. “I’m like, I’m happy to still be playing anywhere, let alone a team that has a real chance to win a ring. My whole life, I feel like I’ve been playing the right brand of basketball, and that’s to win games. So I feel like I’m going to a great situation and I just want to play my role and do what I can to help.”
In his prime, Ball was a premium two-way point guard who could defend on the perimeter, run the offense efficiently, and hit shots from several spots on the floor. For his career, the 27-year-old point guard averages 11.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game on 39.8% shooting.
If not for knee issues that have plagued him for years, Ball might have stayed in Chicago permanently, but they ran out of patience, and now Lonzo can compete for a team with bigger ambitions.
Last season, after finishing fourth in the East the previous two campaigns, they had their breakout moment by going 64-18 to challenge the franchise record. They had a three-game lead over the Celtics and the second-highest plus-minus in the league at +9.1.
Alongside Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, and Evan Monley, Lonzo will be equipped to have one of his best seasons yet, and it could push the Cavaliers to another level of contention.
With a role off the bench, Ball will be crucial for the Cavaliers in running the offense for the second unit, and he’ll give them some options if one of their starting guards misses time with an injury.
For Ball, it’s just a miracle to be in this position, given there were doubts he’d play again at all. So to go from an irrelevant situation in Chicago to competing for a championship with the Cavaliers is like the ultimate jackpot and he intends to make the most of it for as long as he can.
