The Cleveland Cavaliers have already shaken up the NBA landscape with two trades in the past week, headlined by the blockbuster deal that sent James Harden to Cleveland and Darius Garland to the Los Angeles Clippers. But if you thought the Cavs were done dealing, think again - it looks like they might still have moves left in the chamber.
According to league insider Jake Fischer, Cleveland is actively exploring options to trade backup point guard Lonzo Ball. It’s a move that’s less about basketball fit and more about financial flexibility.
Ball’s contract situation is unique: his deal for next season is non-guaranteed, meaning the Cavs could waive him in the summer without taking a cap hit. But if they’re trying to shed salary now, moving Ball could help - though not enough on its own.
Even if the Cavs were to find a taker for Ball, they’d still be about $3.8 million above the league’s second apron, a restrictive salary threshold that limits team-building tools for high-spending franchises. In short: trading Ball helps, but it doesn’t solve the whole puzzle. For Cleveland to truly duck under that line, they’d need to make additional moves - and that’s where things could get interesting.
The Cavs don’t have a ton of draft capital left to sweeten a deal. They’ve only got two movable second-round picks remaining, and one of those was already shipped to L.A. in the Harden trade.
That makes finding a trade partner for Ball a little more complicated. Without meaningful draft assets or a team eager to absorb salary, Cleveland’s options are limited - unless this is just one piece of a bigger plan.
And that might just be the case.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported earlier today that the Cavaliers have reached out to the Milwaukee Bucks about Giannis Antetokounmpo and to the Dallas Mavericks about Anthony Davis. That’s a bold swing, even if those conversations were more exploratory than imminent. But if Cleveland is seriously chasing another superstar, moving Ball could be a necessary step to clear space or balance the books in a larger, more complex deal.
Whether or not something big is brewing, moving Ball still makes sense from a cap management perspective. The Cavs have until the February 5 trade deadline to find a partner, and with the front office clearly in an aggressive mode, it wouldn’t be surprising to see more movement before the clock runs out.
Bottom line: Cleveland’s not standing pat. After landing Harden, they’ve signaled they’re all-in on making a deep run. And if that means flipping Lonzo Ball to fine-tune the roster - or to set the stage for another major acquisition - the Cavs are clearly open for business.