The season hasn’t gone as Lonzo Ball expected. The former Chicago star played just 35 games for Cleveland before being traded to Utah, which eventually waived him. However, his season was nearly more chaotic had a deal with Brooklyn gone through.
Ball arrived in the NBA with high expectations. The second overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, Ball had a promising rookie season with the Lakers, but then things went downhill.
After two lackluster seasons in Los Angeles, Ball was traded to New Orleans, where he also failed to find his footing, and finally landed in Chicago.
His first season with the Bulls was one of the best in Ball’s career, averaging:
- 34.6 minutes per game
- 5.4 rebounds per game
- 5.1 assists per game
- 13.0 points per game
- .423 field goal percentage
- .423 three-point percentage
- .750 free throw percentage
After missing the 2022-2023 season due to injury and a poor 2023-2024 season, Ball moved to the Cavaliers, where he also failed to deliver the expected results
Ball almost landed in Brooklyn
The saga began when Brooklyn surprised the NBA by releasing Cam Thomas on February 5th. However, according to The Athletic insider Mike Vorkunov, the Nets had a different plan.
Initially, Brooklyn sought a partner to trade Thomas, and one of the teams they approached was Cleveland. The intention was to swap Ball for Thomas.
League sources revealed to Vorkunov that “There had been talks with the Cleveland Cavaliers on a deal that would have sent Lonzo Ball to Brooklyn.”
In the end, the insider explained, the negotiations didn’t gain traction, and Ball, despite his $10 million contract, ended up being traded to the Utah Jazz in exchange for two second-round draft picks.
Why didn’t the Thomas deal go through?
While Ball was waived the same day he went to the Jazz, Thomas ended up staying in Brooklyn. The fifth-year guard has a no-trade clause, so he can reject any trade offer.
Furthermore, the Nets were reportedly seeking double compensation: several second-round picks for taking on Ball’s contract, and a separate set of draft picks in exchange for Thomas.
In the end, the Nets and Cavs had to absorb their losses, while Ball and Thomas wait for another team willing to take the risk of signing them.
