Lonzo Ball continues to make positive forward progress in his rehab from the latest procedure on his knee, the Bulls guard said in the first episode of his What An Experience podcast (hat tip to Ryan Taylor of NBC Sports Chicago). Asked at the start of the show to provide an update on his status, Ball said it’s “coming along week by week.”
“It’s improving, so that’s all I can ask for,” Ball said. “It’s still not where I want it to be. Out of 100 (percent), I’d probably say I’m about 70 (percent). Good enough to play, but can still get better. I still got a long summer ahead of me. But definitely looking forward to the future.”
Ball has undergone three separate surgeries on his knee since last playing in an NBA game in 2022. He experienced setbacks during his first two rehab processes, but there was optimism following his cartilage transplant in 2023 that the third surgery would be the one that allowed him to make a full recovery and eventually get back on the court. While there’s still a ways to go to make that a reality, this appears to be the closest Ball has come to getting healthy in the past two-and-a-half years, Taylor notes.
Here’s more from around the Central:
- With the Cavaliers on the brink of elimination, Brian Windhorst appeared on ESPN’s Get Up (Twitter video link) to discuss what this offseason might look like for the team and star guard Donovan Mitchell. As Windhorst notes, the front office will have a difficult decision to make if Mitchell claims publicly that he’s happy in Cleveland and doesn’t ask to be dealt, but also doesn’t sign an extension entering a potential contract year. “I’m trying to walk the line because I don’t want anybody to freak out in my home town of Cleveland, but there are a number of teams that have their (trade) offers ready,” Windhorst said, identifying the Lakers and Nets as a couple of the clubs expected to pursue Mitchell if the Cavs consider moving him.
- Rick Carlisle was disappointed with the Pacers‘ complete level in Tuesday’s Game 5 blowout loss to the Knicks, referring to their effort as “very poor,” according to Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. “Lost every quarter. Got annihilated on loose balls and rebounds,” Indiana’s head coach said in his postgame media session. “… We all own it, but very embarrassing.” Carlisle added that it was a “hard lesson” to learn for an Indiana team that doesn’t have much experience playing together on this sort of stage. “There’s no excuses, but all the guys on our roster, I believe it’s the first time they’ve been in a Game 5 tied 2-2 and going on the road,” he told reporters. “So you learn a lot in those situations very quickly. … This is a different circumstance. As a playoff series progresses, it’s going to be harder and harder.”
- Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton and center Myles Turner took their share of responsibility for the team’s poor showing on Tuesday, as Dopirak details in a pair of Indy Star stories. Haliburton, who attempted just nine shots and scored 13 points, said he has to “do a better job of being aggressive,” while Turner told the media he has to be more assertive on the boards after grabbing just five rebounds. “I know I didn’t do my job and I need to personalize that going into the next game,” Turner said after Indiana was out-rebounded 53-29. “I take full ownership, and it starts with me down there on a lot of that stuff.”
I just want Lonzo to make it back and stick in the league. Doesn’t matter if he’s not 100% of what he was or he never plays in the playoffs. Just making it back to the hardwood has to be seen as an incredible victory for him.
What could the Lakers offer? Really? A few draft picks…
Overpaid Rui Hachimura and overpaid Austin Reeves?
The best they can probably do is Nnamdi, Vanderbilt, Reddish, hachimura 2029 1st, 2031 1st (once nba calender shifts), multiple 2nds
Garland, Okoro, Strus, Vanderbilt, Mobley
Levert, Allen, Wade, Nnamdi off the bench Merril, Reddish, Hachimura at smallball 5 can all be matchup type options from there
Obviously though, taking back Hachimura is not something I would want to do, and you have to at least get 1 better asset than any of this
I think the Nets can beat that offer. You are probably correct, i just dont see the Cavs making a move without something to show their fan base and Hachimura is not enough.
I can’t find another iteration for salary matching without Bridges (they’d need $4.7 million more)…but they can offer something like Bridges, Jalen Wilson, Dariq Whitehead 2027 Philly first, 2029 1st, and other draft assets (that probably wouldn’t be more than a pick going out if they were trading Bridges for a guard…). They would have to add multiple pieces at the 2/3 though. Not sure that makes sense
As I said, I wouldn’t want Hachimura, and those multiple picks I mentioned would have to be included to take him back…then maybe you add another piece in FA or use some of your tradeable contracts, plus new picks in another deal
The Lakers are always the first place the media says a disgruntled star wants to go too. They have gotten many. AD Howard Lebron.
Westbrook, Odom, Artest.
Even without Spida signing an extention I highly doubt the Lakers have a package good enough to acquire Spida
If, God forbid, Mitchell has to be traded, the Nets almost certainly aren’t including Bridges. That makes their package completely undesirable unless we can include a third team for a better caliber of player. The Cavs aren’t going to be interested in Cam Johnson as a centerpiece, Nick Claxton is a tremendous overlap with Allen/Mobley, Thomas doesn’t fit the Cavs needs (and frankly he’s not enough of a centerpiece either), and who else is even there? Simmons? You’d have to include an entire trade’s worth of assets to move him as a neutral piece. DFS? Not enough.
I realize they have a lot of picks, but Mitchell is a legit superstar. You need a superstar package if you want him, and the Cavs obviously want to contend with a good young team, so picks + salary filler aren’t an attractive offer.
I don’t think they should or would do Cam Johnson either
What about the Spurs, since people incessantly talk about them needing a guard for some reason…maybe Keldon Johnson, Blake Wesley, Sidy Cissoko, and picks?
It’s hard to place guards, especially certain types of guards, when you’re talking about who actually has a need and what assets they should give up, especially considering not many teams actually make that much sense
Truthfully, I’d rather the Cavs get a scoring wing. Strus or LeVert could handle the 2 as a starter, Garland and Allen are locks at the 1 and 5. Mobley is making the 4 his. That leaves the 3 as the most obvious area to improve, and we could certainly use it. Ingram would be a good fit if he could actually stay on the floor, but he can’t. I’d want Bridges or a similar player.
So what about the packages I mentioned? From your/cavs perspective?
I personally would be trying to use a couple of the guys you mentioned in different spots, but it would depend on the rest of the roster
I’m not sold on Johnson. He’s a decent player, but consistency is very much not his strength, and he took a step back in the shot chart this year in SA due to Wemby’s presence. Looks more and more like just an average player who can pull off big moments. Wesley and Cissoko aren’t anything yet. They don’t move the needle more than a 2nd round pick, in my opinion. They have positives, but neither is NBA-caliber at the present time.
I guess Okoro could play the 2 or 3, but I see him as more of a DFS-type plug-and-play wing. A guy who should be averaging 25+ MPG but isn’t really necessarily closing or starting consistently. His value is the ability to vary looks, lock down the perimeter, and be consistently ready to go on both ends.
Allen should be starting at the 5. I know people are down on Mobley at the 4, but he’s made significant strides on offense this year, especially his jump shot. And Allen is a constant scoring threat off the roll or lob, and does such a good job drawing attention to the middle when he moves. He and Mobley together are so dominant defensively.
Well, I’m not gonna get into the type of players all those guys are much further, b/c it’s probably not on the table, but they can also give back the best/more upfront picks. You mentioned Ingram. I don’t see a need for new Orleans, but that would probably have to be Mitchell and Levert for Ingram, Jordan Hawkins, Larry Nance, and picks (new Orleans has the 2nd most draft capital of the options mentioned so far)…and again, I just don’t see the value in trading so many assets for a smaller guard that needs the ball in his hands, and especially without a need
Fair with a potential Ingram trade. The need for NO would be that they really don’t have an actual PG at all. CJ tries, but he’s not a point guard. Mitchell can run the point about as well as Garland can while providing a potentially elite P&R combo with Zion, but I can understand while that wouldn’t be an attractive move for either team, really. Too many moving parts for what may not be a gain at all.
As for the picks, while that has value, the Cavs are trying to contend right now, so a move that doesn’t get them players they can slot in right away without a significant drop-off probably isn’t as valued.
Those players can slot in, generally. The picks are assets and can also be combined with contracts they also have, plus the young guys brought over in these hypothetical
All of this is moot though
From CLE’s standpoint, it’s not that difficult a decision. If he doesn’t sign an extension before the trade deadline, then he needs to be traded. No player with Mitchell’s profile (young or prime age All Star caliber, current and consensus max, extension eligible) has reached UFA status (more than nominally) in this decade, and I doubt CLE’s FO want to be the first to let it happen. Even if he says he’s happy, and even if he says he remains open to an extension after the season.
It’s DM’s right to wait for free agency before deciding his next move (or non-move), and he shouldn’t be condemned for exercising it. The best players used to do it as a rule. Some older stars like LeBron still do it. It’s a better league when players do it. But the more recent CBAs have killed it as intended. At least for now.
Cleveland shouldn’t be in any rush to trade Mitchell. They can offer him the most money and they’ve been a good team while he’s been there. They’re very close to being a true contender and that extra push wouldn’t even need to come from external sources. Mobley can be a superstar if he makes another leap and if Okoro does the same he can be a very good 4th starter. He knows if he goes to LA or Brooklyn either team would have to gut the roster for a trade or if he signed outright he’d have to take a substantial pay cut.
I’d call Danny Ainge, reverse the original trade, re-route Mitchell to a 3rd team and more, more, more assets to Utah.
Or Miami.
Carlisle is technically incorrect, Siakam was on a team that lost the first 2 on the road, won 2 at home, and then went on the road tied 2-2 in 2019 against the bucks.
They are not going to be able to get near what they gave up.
Cavs need to just keep Mitchell, but he can’t be their best player. They hung with the Celtics while being injured. Mobley needs to make the leap.
Guys coming back cause its a contract year. Will go back to being unable to play and chasing honeys around cali once he gets his next bag.