Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball reacts during a game against the Toronto Raptors at the United Center. Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images

Cleveland Cavaliers offseason moves needed to happen

Originally posted on Cleveland Cavaliers on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated Sep 23, 2025 1:50 PM ET

The Cleveland Cavaliers are going into the 2025-26 season knowing they can accomplish a lot as a team.

After winning 64 games last season, the Cavaliers are coming into the year as one of the favorites in the Eastern Conference. They had the No. 1 seed in the playoffs this spring, so now there is only one way forward for them as a team. In order to get better, the team needed to make some moves to say goodbye to Ty Jerome and Isaac Okoro.

"Cleveland also made the difficult decision to let breakout guard Ty Jerome leave in free agency. Keeping him would have resulted in a hefty luxury tax bill—too high a price for a player who, like Okoro, failed to prove his worth in a postseason rotation," Bleacher Report contributor Grant Hughes wrote.

"The Cavs clearly prioritized their playoff roster over the summer, a wise move for a team that shouldn't have much trouble winning enough regular-season games to secure the top seed in the East. Maybe gearing its decisions specifically toward playoff success is the final step in Cleveland's evolution as a contender."

Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Cavaliers make necessary offseason transactions

One of the upgrades the Cavs hope to have is with Lonzo Ball, whom they acquired from the Chicago Bulls in a trade for Okoro.

Hughes believes Ball could be what the Cavs need to take that next step in the right direction.

"Lonzo Ball almost certainly won't play as many games as Isaac Okoro would have, but the Cleveland Cavaliers still won that offseason trade. That's because Ball, if healthy, will matter more in the games Cleveland cares about most. After exiting the last two postseasons earlier than they should have, the Cavaliers needed another player they could trust in high-stakes contests," Hughes wrote.

"Ball's passing, spot-up shooting and smart off-ball defense make him an upgrade over Okoro, who was often played off the floor in postseason settings. That's still true even in the face of Ball's likelihood of missed time."

While Ball might not play all 82 games, the Cavs hope he can be a factor in the rotation if they prioritize his health for the postseason. This means more minutes for players like Craig Porter Jr. and Sam Merrill, but the Cavs have the depth to be able to compete at a high level even without Ball.

The Cavs are counting down the days to the start of training camp, where Ball will have a chance to get ready for his first season in Cleveland.

This article first appeared on Cleveland Cavaliers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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