Lonzo Ball Reportedly Traded to Cavs, Bulls Land Isaac Okoro Before NBA Free Agency

After four seasons, the Chicago Bulls reportedly are moving on from Lonzo Ball.

Per ESPN's Shams Charania, the Bulls traded Ball to the Cleveland Cavaliers in return for forward Isaac Okoro. Ball had been in Chicago since 2021, though most of his time with the Bulls was spent nursing injuries.

Ball was traded to the Bulls from the New Orleans Pelicans in 2021 and signed a four-year, $85 million extension upon arrival. He appeared in just 35 games during the 2021-22 season because of a knee injury that required surgery. He put up 13 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game in his first campaign in Chicago.

Ball's injury troubles during the 2021-22 season set up what would be a frustrating few years for him. He underwent another procedure on his knee ahead of the 2022-23 season, but that surgery ultimately led to him missing the entire season due to an inability to fully recover.

Ball also missed the entirety of the 2023-24 season because of lingering knee troubles.

He finally returned to the court last season and appeared in 35 games before a wrist injury ended his year in February. Though head coach Billy Donovan never declared that Ball would be out for the season, his last game came at the end of February. He averaged 7.6 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game, starting 14 of the 35 games he played.

Ball signed a two-year, $20 million contract extension with Chicago in February.

At his best, Ball is an outstanding playmaker and a triple-double threat night in and night out, but it's been a while since he's been that version of himself. He'll get a fresh start in Cleveland and look to be productive and stay healthy.

Okoro, the fifth overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft, hasn't exactly panned out in Cleveland. He put up a career-low 6.1 points per game while playing a career-low 19.1 minutes per contest last year. Getting off of a talented Cavs roster and onto a rebuilding Bulls team should give him the chance to play more minutes and take on a bigger role.

Okoro has two years remaining on his three-year, $33 million deal.