Full press conference: Chicago Bulls GM Marc Eversley speaks on selecting Noa Essengue
The Chicago Bulls' roster continues its overhaul as the team is moving a veteran guard.
Lonzo Ball, the veteran defensive presence and heartwarming comeback story, has been traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers, according to reports.
What we know:
The Bulls are sending Ball to the Cavs and will get guard Isaac Okoro in return, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.
Okoro, like Josh Giddey last year when the Bulls acquired him from the Thunder, was a former first-round pick by Cleveland who eventually fell out of the rotation.
Okoro does make the Bulls' guard rotation younger – he's 24 years old – and averaged 6.1 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists last season. He did shoot 37 percent from 3-point range, which was second to last year's 39 percent as the best 3-point shooting mark of his career.
In acquiring Okoro, the Bulls are getting a younger guard who the team hopes can be a rotational piece with a new change of scenery.
The other side:
In trading Ball, however, the Bulls lose one of their biggest and most respected locker room voices.
Ball made his return to the NBA last season after undergoing a meniscus and cartilage transplant in his left knee in March 2023. This followed after he had several procedures to fix an injury he suffered during the 2021-22 season.
He returned to play the preseason against the Timberwolves, but was sidelined again in March 2025 because of a right wrist sprain. He played in 35 games this season but signed a two-year, $20 million extension this year.
His $11.8M salary in 26-27 cuts into some of Bulls’ projected cap space in 26
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