Gone are the days of one-way contributors for the Cleveland Cavaliers and their bench. The trade near the start of the offseason for Lonzo Ball was all the evidence needed of the blueprint envisioned for the Cavaliers' second unit.
Cleveland swapped Isaac Okoro for the addition of Ball, signaling a commitment to players who were ready to add value on both ends of the basketball court. That desire was further cemented when the Cavaliers let Ty Jerome walk in free agency to join the Memphis Grizzlies.
The financials of a three-year, $27.7 million deal for Jerome certainly played a factor in the decision to let the Cavaliers bench guard leave. However, Sam Merrill re-upped with the franchise on a higher average salary of roughly $9.5 million. The Cavaliers prioritized the guy with better two-way ability.
Ball's ability to offer a boost as a scorer and playmaker, as well as a perimeter defender paints the picture crystal clear for what the second unit needs to do in 2025-26. They must affect the game consistently and reliably up and down the court.
Cavaliers are mapping out a clear second-unit identity
This was a subject that came up on the Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show with Mike Lucas and Danny Cunningham when discussing the most interesting players on the team heading into the upcoming season. The latter thought it was obvious what the Cavaliers wanted to accomplish.
Cunningham said, "When I look at what [Ball] can do on the floor, they want to, this offseason, go from a roster that had some guys that were one-way players ... to a two-way player. ... He can really change the way some of these second units look."
Lucas added that when Ball is at his best, he makes everyone around him better. That is something the show host believed the Cavaliers lacked last season from their bench.
During the 2024-25 regular season, the Cavaliers bench ranked third in the NBA when it comes to offensive rating. Their defensive rating was a more disappointing 17th.
The same pattern held for the 2025 NBA Playoffs. The Cavaliers bench had the second-best offensive rating in the postseason, to go with a lackluster 12th-ranked defensive rating.
Ball does both, and the new Cavaliers backup point guard should be the catalyst for elevating those around him on each side of the basketball as well. Naturally, the former second overall pick would need to maintain his health to ensure his impact is truly felt. That is just a gamble Cleveland will need to live with throughout the 2025-26 season as they aim to change the mold of the second unit.