The Cleveland Cavaliers have officially embraced their potential as 2025-26 Eastern Conference champions by trading Isaac Okoro to the Chicago Bulls for point guard Lonzo Ball. It was a shocking move in the immediate aftermath of the 2025 NBA Draft that sent a fascinating message.
With free agency looming and an uncertain future in the backcourt, the Cavaliers have positioned themselves to survive trading Darius Garland.
Okoro has been a speculative trade option for the Cavaliers to move off of for years on end. A former top-five draft pick, he's struggled to find a consistent place in the rotation with the 3-and-D potential expected of him failing to ideally materialize.
After five years in Cleveland, Okoro was finally shipped out via an in-division trade that could send shockwaves throughout both organizations.
BREAKING: The Chicago Bulls are trading Lonzo Ball to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Isaac Okoro, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/W0FTrRhe7y
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 28, 2025
As a result, the Cavaliers have created the flexibility to trade Garland and re-sign Jerome in what could be an eventful offseason.
Cavaliers trade for Lonzo Ball, perhaps deciding Darius Garland and Ty Jerome's futures
Garland is a two-time All-Star and one of the most important players on the Cavaliers' roster. His value was firmly established during the 2025 NBA Playoffs, when his injury absence played a direct role in Cleveland falling apart in the fourth quarter of multiple losses to the Indiana Pacers.
As skepticism mounts over the viability of a backcourt that's built around two undersized guards, however, the Cavaliers may be feeling the pressure to trade Garland.
2024-25 All-NBA First Team honoree Donovan Mitchell is locked in as the Cavaliers' franchise player and guard of the present and future. That has thus made Garland the All-Star who's more likely to be moved if Cleveland opts to split the duo up.
Brian Windhorst of ESPN previously noted that the Cavaliers are not shopping Garland, but acquiring Ball may have changed the nature of the conversation.
Garland would have a mountain of suitors after averaging 20.6 points, 6.7 assists, 2.9 rebounds, 1.2 steals, and 2.8 three-point field goals on .472/.401/.878 shooting in 2024-25. He's an efficient scorer, creative ball-handler, and crafty playmaker who can run a high-octane and winning offense.
Garland's skill set certainly provides value to the Cavaliers, but it also suggests that trading him could bring back a star-caliber player at a different position of need.
In that scenario, Cleveland could swap Garland for a high-level small forward and re-sign Jerome to create backcourt depth. Mitchell would likely take on a larger facilitating role in that scenario, but Ball would alleviate some of that burden and re-signing Jerome would ensure a strong scoring balance.
It's possible that the Cavaliers will opt to utilize Ball as an ideal backup point guard to Garland after winning 64 games in 2024-25, but trading an All-Star has suddenly become a viable option.