NBA

Bulls receive:
SF Isaac Okoro

Cavaliers receive:
PG Lonzo Ball

Just last summer, the Bulls swapped Alex Caruso for Josh Giddey. That transaction, of course, aided the Thunder in winning the championship and gave the Bulls an interesting young player. This trade could be a repeat of that, albeit on a lesser scale.

Okoro is a good wing defender and, in theory, a three-and-D archetype. The problem, though, is that the 24-year-old’s offense has never taken off. Was he held back with the Cavaliers by playing with ball-dominant guards? Perhaps, but Okoro will have to improve on that end of the floor for this trade to bear fruit for Chicago.

The Cavaliers are essentially parting with two more seasons of Okoro for one season of Ball. (Ball has a team option for 2027.) It’s easy to argue that this move for Cleveland hinges entirely on Ball’s health. The 27-year-old has appeared in just 35 games over the last three seasons — all of them coming this past year — and his shooting has regressed over that period. If Ball returns to his previous form, this is a slam-dunk trade for the Cavaliers. But even if he doesn’t, Cleveland was able to trim payroll without giving up a draft pick.

Bulls Grade: C+

Cavaliers Grade: B