Trade Grades for Bulls and Cavaliers Lonzo Ball-Isaac Okoro Swap

Just when you thought the NBA would give you a moment to breathe between the draft and free agency, ESPN's Shams Charania broke news of another trade on Saturday.

In a straight-up swap with no picks involved, Lonzo Ball is headed to the Cleveland Cavaliers, while Isaac Okoro is on his way to the Chicago Bulls.

And we're here to break down both sides of the deal with a classic report card.

Cleveland Cavaliers: B

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There are obvious, significant health concerns that come with acquiring Lonzo Ball.

Over his first five seasons, he averaged just 50.4 appearances per year. Then, a knee injury and a series of surgeries cost him the entirety of both 2022-23 and 2023-24. And even in his 2024-25 comeback season, he played in just 35 games (and only averaged 22.2 minutes in those games).

Social media appears to be generally high on this side of the deal, but it does seem to be underselling the above a bit. There's far from any guarantee Ball can even play half the upcoming campaign.

Having said that, this is clearly more than just a passing grade for Cleveland.

Ball's contract runs through 2026-27, but that second year is a team option. If things don't go well this season, the Cavs can simply decline to bring him back.

At $10 million, Ball can give Cleveland at least a year of cost-friendly insurance for a potential Ty Jerome departure. Given how well he played in 2024-25, bringing Jerome back could really inflate Cleveland's tax bill.

Ideally, Jerome will be back. But now, letting him leave is slightly more palatable.

Ball's impact in 2024-25 was certainly muted, compared to what he did prior to the knee injuries, but he's still a good connecting passer and heady defender who played winning minutes for the Bulls.

Chicago Bulls: C-

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From a simple asset management perspective, this deal looks like a borderline disaster for the Bulls. And you don't have to go too far back in time to see why.

In February of this year, there was reportedly an offer on the table for Ball that included a first-round pick for Chicago. It may have also included the Bulls taking on some long-term money, but that typically doesn't outweigh getting a pick for a team as young as the Bulls.

They're also on the opposite side of the flexibility argument made above. Okoro's salary in 2026-27 ($11.8 million) isn't much higher than Ball's, but it is guaranteed. Chicago no longer has the out it did if it wants a little more cap space next summer.

Still, Okoro is only 24 years old, right around the age range of Bulls like Josh Giddey and Coby White. And while he's never been a volume producer, Okoro's hit 38.3 percent of his three-point attempts over the last two seasons.

Perhaps most importantly, he's almost certain to be able to appear in more games and log more minutes than Ball.

When you consider the full picture, glass-half-full Chicago fans might even be able to spin this as a win, but this grader can't ignore that missed opportunity in February.