Lonzo Ball may be the final piece to the Cleveland Cavaliers' championship puzzle, but his injury concerns will be the biggest question the team must answer.
Whether it has been untimely sprains or a multi-year knee injury and recovery, Cleveland's newest point guard has endured a lengthy injury history throughout his eight years since joining the NBA. Most recently with the Chicago Bulls, Lonzo Ball has been a pillar of two-way efficiency and team-oriented basketball. When healthy, Ball is a major plus for his team and can be a difference maker in the most important ways.
Standing at 6-foot-6, Ball is a big guard and has used his size to his advantage defensively and on the boards. While Ball's scoring can fall to the wayside at times, his defensive effort and overall hustle has never waned in the face of repeated injuries. As a bench leader with the Cavs, Lonzo can finally contribute to a championship contender with enough flexibilty in playing time to avoid serious injury risk.
Adding a high-caliber role player like Ball could be the final swing the Cavaliers need to reach the NBA Finals for the first time without LeBron James on the roster in franchise history. Looking at recent champions, it has not been sudden star acquisitions that set them over the top; rather, ideal complementary players complete a contending squad. With a set starring cast and a deep roster already, Ball's arrival seems to be the Cavaliers' attempt at replicating the winning formula.
In order to maximize Lonzo, the Cavs are doubling down on preparing for the playoffs and ignoring the regular season. Last season, the Cavaliers were willing to rest players over minor injuries, but Lonzo may receive a greater concerted effort to maintain health.
Cavaliers considering restricting Lonzo Ball from back-to-backs
Likely the most grueling part of any season's schedule is the dreaded back-to-back, or the weeks that include multiple back-to-backs in the seven-day span. The Cavaliers were able to sustain good health playing both nights last year, but Lonzo's health seems to be worth foregoing the brutal two-day challenge.
On the Wine and Gold Talk Podcast, Cavs insider and Cleveland.com reporter Chris Fedor gave an inside look at the team's willingness to rest Lonzo. Prioritizing the postseason, Cleveland is ready to lessen the backcourt depth in favor of keeping his durability up.
"I do think there is a thought inside the [Cleveland Cavaliers] about how much the postseason matters compared to the regular season... So, the last thing the Cavs want to do is overextend these guys during the regular season or push them too hard during the regular season... I know the Cavs are having conversations as an organization about no back-to-backs for Lonzo Ball. If there's three games in four nights, be cognizant of that when it comes to Lonzo. If it's five in seven, be cognizant of that when it comes to Lonzo."Chris Fedor
Notably, Fedor's commentary extends beyond just Lonzo Ball, but his injury past likely makes him the prime candidate to play the fewest games in the regular season across the rotation players. Other Cavaliers like Darius Garland and Larry Nance, Jr. have been sidelined with lengthy injury in recent history, making them candidates for similar treatment.
Cleveland's offseason moves have built a deep, versatile roster capable of surviving absences from multiple key players. The Cavaliers faced another playoff embarrassment this year, making the focus on postseason health and reliability paramount to justify the increasingly expensive roster and high expectations. Lonzo Ball will be the key piece in that campaign, and his health will be the deciding factor in his impact for the team.
If the Cleveland Cavaliers strike a good balance of rest and playing time among the key contributors and stars, they can enter the playoffs healthy and in rhythm with one another. Throughout an 82-game season, the Cavs just need to play through enough games together to have chemistry and a cohesive mindset in the playoffs. Keeping Lonzo healthy is a make-or-break problem for coach Kenny Atkinson and his staff, and back-to-backs will be the largest hurdle they face in achieving that goal.