CLEVELAND, Ohio — The NBA can be a brutal business, as Lonzo Ball is discovering firsthand with the Cavs.
After sitting out two consecutive games with DNP-CDs, Ball returned to make a significant impact in Cleveland’s 113-108 win over the Denver Nuggets. But according to Cleveland.com Cavs reporter Chris Fedor, that performance – however timely – likely won’t change his diminished role moving forward.
“This is what it’s going to have to be for Lonzo,” Fedor explained on the latest Wine and Gold Talk podcast. “Are guys going to be missing? If so, you go to Lonzo because he’s been pushed further down the depth chart ... When this team is at full strength, I don’t think there’s room for this version of Lonzo. He just hasn’t been good enough.”
Ball’s performance against Denver showcased the tantalizing skills that made him an attractive offseason acquisition – defensive disruption, improved shot-making, and playmaking vision.
But in the unforgiving evaluation of an NBA season, one good game doesn’t erase months of inconsistency, especially when other players have seized their opportunities.
The emergence of Craig Porter Jr. has been particularly damaging to Ball’s rotation prospects. Porter’s ability to pressure opposing guards, penetrate defenses, and complement Donovan Mitchell has simply been more consistently impactful than what Ball has provided.
“Kenny’s gotta be careful too in terms of not getting caught up in recency bias,” Fedor cautioned. “Saying like, hey, Lonzo stepped forward, he made a couple of shots, he made an impact on the game, okay, I’m going to put him back in the rotation. There’s just not room for him.”
This isn’t just about performance – it’s about team dynamics.
The Cavaliers have found a rhythm during their three-game winning streak, with specific lineup combinations proving especially potent. Disrupting that balance based on one good game could jeopardize the team’s momentum.
What makes the situation particularly challenging for Ball is that his opportunities may now come exclusively through circumstances beyond his control – namely, injuries to other rotation players.
Against Denver, he capitalized on the absences of Sam Merrill and Dean Wade, but both are expected to return soon.
Fedor did praise Ball’s professionalism amidst this challenging situation: “He deserves a lot of credit for that. But he also has to understand that, that this is, this is his role and that if Craig Porter Jr. is going to be more consistently impactful, and he has been since Kenny Atkinson decided to make the switch ... there has to be an understanding and there is, that he’s just going to have to wait his turn and that his number is not going to be called every single night.”
The situation highlights the difficult decisions facing coach Kenny Atkinson as he manages a deep roster. If he’s committed to a 10-man rotation, the numbers simply don’t work in Ball’s favor when the team is healthy.
Interestingly, Fedor pointed out another potential silver lining to Ball’s irregular role: “He had fresh legs. His shot didn’t look as flat. He looked to be moving a little bit better. So if there’s somebody who’s going to benefit from multiple days off in a row, it’s probably Lonzo.”
For Cavaliers fans intrigued by this rotation drama and Ball’s uncertain future with the team, the full breakdown awaits in the latest Wine and Gold Talk podcast. Tune in to hear Fedor and host Ethan Sands dissect all the nuances of this challenging situation and what it means for Cleveland’s playoff aspirations.
Here’s the podcast for this week: