Lonzo Ball could be on the move before the deadline.
The Washington Wizards are reportedly one of several teams that have called about Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Lonzo Ball, per Mike Scotto of HoopsHype. Washington has nearly $30 million in cap space to absorb contracts, in exchange for the price of draft picks.
Ball has been a major disappointment for the Cavs, shooting just 29.9% from the floor and even worse from beyond the arc. While his shooting is not the main reason the Cavs acquired him, Ball’s passing and defense have not been able to offset the otherwise terrible splits. He has been passed on the depth chart by Craig Porter Jr., and at times, Tyrese Proctor as well, meaning he has been left out of the rotation entirely.
Ball is in the first year of a two-year $20 million deal he signed with the Chicago Bulls, but the second year is a team option – one that will overwhelmingly not be picked up by whoever has the 29-year-old come this summer. If the Cavs are able to clear out Ball’s contract now as opposed to this summer, it would free up a roster spot and get them closer to escaping the dreaded second apron, although additional salary would need to be cut in order to do so.
The Cavs are expected to be one of the more active teams this trade season, with the deadline coming on Thursday. De’Andre Hunter has already been mentioned several times in trade discussions, most notably with the Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings. Ball and Hunter combined account for $34.9 million on the salary sheet, and the Cavs are most certainly not getting that value back — or even close to it. If they can offload those salaries and get salary relief and/or better-fitting players, it could help plug some of the holes on the roster.
Category: General Sports
