The NBA's new second apron comes for everybody, eventually. The Cleveland Cavaliers are the latest victim, dealing away veteran guard Lonzo Ball for nothing in return.
Per Shams Charania, the Utah Jazz and Cavs agreed to trade Lonzo and two second-round picks to the Jazz for nothing returning to Cleveland. Only months after joining the Cavaliers after an offseason trade swapped Lonzo from the Chicago Bulls for wing Isaac Okoro, his Cavs tenure has come to an embarrassing end.
The Jazz are expected to waive Lonzo Ball, allowing him to be a free agent, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/NH3dxebRlQ
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 4, 2026
This deal sheds $10 million from the Cavaliers' inflated cap sheet, bringing them within $4 million of the second apron threshold. After adding two backcourt talents in Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis through the De'Andre Hunter trade, Ball's time in Cleveland was seemingly expiring.
Despite developing into a reliable two-way guard, Lonzo never found a promising fit on the Cavaliers. He saw career-low numbers across the board, making him nearly unplayable when the team was relatively healthy. Coming off the bench, Lonzo shot 30.1 percent from the field and 27.2 percent from three-point range in 35 games as a Cavalier.
His Cleveland experience was undeniably underwhelming. When he first joined the team, the public response was mixed. Fractions of the fan base saw him as a potential final piece to a championship puzzle; however, others believed the trade to be a mistake, a viewpoint that has now been justified.
Lonzo Ball's exit cost the Cavaliers their second-round future
Both second-round picks heading to Utah originate from the Cavs. After the Darius Garland trade for James Harden, Cleveland only held two second rounders left. With the Lonzo deal in place, the Cavaliers are depleted of future draft capital in order to creep closer to financial flexibility and luxury tax relief.
Already lacking first-round capital, the Cavs have effectively punted on the draft until they trade to replenish their supply. When the Cavaliers first acquired Lonzo, they did so in a one-for-one swap of Okoro for Ball.
Sending Lonzo to Utah is proof of a shifting focus for the Cavaliers, targeting a release from the grasps of the second apron. Additionally, it proves the Cavs made a mistake in the Okoro trade. At the start of the season, Lonzo's scoring was rough but his overall impact was palpable. Meanwhile, Okoro struggled with the Bulls.
Now, as Okoro finds his footing as a solid role player in Chicago, Ball is likely to join the buy out market after an embarrassing Cavs tenure. Cleveland is still built for a deep postseason run, but this Lonzo trade is an obvious indicator that the roster will look drastically different by Friday morning than it did on opening night.
A Lonzo trade does allow the Cavs to use an open roster spot to sign two-way forward Nae'Qwan Tomlin, a move most fans have come to hope to see soon.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have been the NBA's most active franchise this trade deadline, and the Lonzo trade is likely not their final move. Cleveland is clearly targeting leaving the apron without sacrificing competitiveness.