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.
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.
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.
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.