Dec 8, 2021; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball (2) drives to the basket beside Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love (0) in the third quarter at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images David Richard-Imagn Images

Lonzo Ball Breaks Silence on Trade to Cleveland Cavaliers

Originally posted on Cleveland Cavaliers on SI
By Evan Dammarell | Last updated Jul 5, 2025 8:48 PM ET

After years of battling injuries and uncertainty, Lonzo Ball has a fresh start, and he’s embracing it fully. The Cleveland Cavaliers acquired the veteran guard from the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Isaac Okoro, and Ball is calling the move “a blessing.”

“I feel like it’s just a blessing, bro. To be honest, I mean, everybody keeps asking me how I feel about the trade,” Ball said on the What an Experience podcast. “I’m like, I’m happy to still be playing anywhere, let alone a team that has a real chance to win a ring. My whole life, I feel like I’ve been playing the right brand of basketball, and that’s to win games. So I feel like I’m going to a great situation and I just want to play my role and do what I can to help.”

Following a nearly three-year absence due to a torn meniscus and multiple surgeries, including a rare cartilage transplant, Ball made a remarkable return to the court last season. He appeared in 35 games for the Bulls, averaging 7.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in just over 22 minutes per game. But despite his comeback, Chicago moved on, and now Ball is looking forward, not back.

“Competing for a ring, that’s the goal,” - Lonzo Ball talks getting traded to the Cavs pic.twitter.com/nnPngjHVWE
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) July 5, 2025

For the first time in his career, Ball joins a legitimate championship contender. The Cavaliers are coming off a 64-win season, the best in the Eastern Conference, and are looking to bounce back from a disappointing playoff exit at the hands of the Indiana Pacers.

“Just playing, competing for a ring. I feel like that should be the goal, I feel like that is the goal,” Ball said. “So, happy to get over there and get started. To meet everybody, get familiar with everything, and take it as far as we can.“

Ball, who has never played in a postseason game, now has a real shot to contribute to a deep playoff run. With stars like Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, and Evan Mobley in place, Cleveland’s title window is open, and Ball could be the missing piece in their championship formula.

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

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