Trading Ball would only help decrease the salary for this season. His non-guaranteed contract for next season could be waived in the summer at no cost. Moving him would only be necessary if you’re trying to duck under the second apron this season. And even at that, trading Ball alone wouldn’t get them under. They would be roughly $3.8 million above the second apron.
Additionally, the Cavs only have two movable second-round picks that they could move to get off of Ball’s salary. They sent one out to Los Angeles in the Harden trade. They may have a difficult time finding a suitor for Ball with their remaining second-rounders.
It’d be unwise to rule out the possibility that the Cavs have another larger deal that they’re trying to work through. If so, moving Ball would be necessary to facilitate something like that. As reported earlier today by ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, the Cavs have made calls to the Milwaukee Bucks about Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Dallas Mavericks about Anthony Davis.
Trading Ball makes sense regardless of what else the team has planned for the rest of the season. The Cavs have until the Feb. 5 deadline to find a trade partner for Ball.