The Cleveland Cavaliers traded for Lonzo Ball at the end of June, sending Isaac Okoro to the Bulls. It was a simple player swap, nothing more. Chicago is known for trading for former lottery picks, and in this case, Cleveland benefited.
Cleveland's motivation for making this trade was to gain financial flexibility, as Ball will earn $10 million next season and has a $10 million team option for the 2026-27 season. Okoro will make $11 million in 2025-26 and $11.8 million the following season. The Cavaliers will save $1 million next season, but are off the hook for Okoro's guaranteed salary in 2026-27.