The Bulls waited more than two years for Lonzo Ball to get healthy, only to trade him away in yawner of a deal.
The Bulls agreed to trade Ball to the Cleveland Cavaliers for forward Isaac Okoro, according to a report by ESPN insider Shams Charania.
The hope here is the 6-foot-5 Okoro can help improve the Bulls defense. He's a great athlete, chosen No. 5 overall in the 2020 NBA Draft out of Auburn — one pick after the Bulls took Patrick Williams. Okoro, 24, grew up in the Atlanta area and spent one year at Auburn.
The concern is Okoro never progressed offensively during five seasons with the Cavs. His career highs in points (9.6) and rebounds (3.1) are modest, and they occurred during his rookie season. As the Cavs improved as a team, his playing time dropped, hitting 19.1 minutes per game last season, even less in the playoffs.
Okoro did shoot 39% from 3-point range in 2023-24, but on just 3.1 attempts per game. Perhaps Pacers defensive pest Aaron Nesmith is a possible comparison, but Nesmith is a much better shooter. Okoro is under contract for two more seasons, at $11.0 and $11.8 million.
Just playing in the NBA again after missing two full seasons recovering from three knee surgeries was a major accomplishment for Ball. But his return to action was relatively uneventful. He played in just 35 games, averaged 7.6 points and didn't regain his shooting touch from 3-point range. He was not the same player from early in 2021-22 who partnered with Alex Caruso to create havoc defensively.
The Bulls gave Ball a two-year contract extension, but by the end of the season, it was clear he wasn't a great fit on the roster. The Bulls have an abundance of guards, and with his history of knee injuries, Ball didn't seem to match the team's up-tempo style.
Okoro's arrival complicates the Bulls' desire to turn Dalen Terry and Julian Phillips into reliable “3 and D” type of players. Coach Billy Donovan struggled to find consistent playing time for both Terry and Phillips.
The next step for the Bulls is preparing first-round draft pick Noa Essengue for the Las Vegas summer league. The Bulls will play five games in Vegas, beginning on July 11 against Toronto.
Cleveland Cavaliers forward Isaac Okoro (35) goes to the basket against Indiana Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith (23) in the first half of Game 4 in the Eastern Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs in Indianapolis, Sunday, May 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) AP