The Cleveland Cavaliers traded Isaac Okoro in exchange for Lonzo Ball after losing Ty Jerome this offseason, and it seems that the former second overall pick has already gained some admirers within the organization.
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Ball will likely serve as Darius Garland’s backup, which could be an ideal role for him, given his extensive injury history. With that said, the 27-year-old guard discussed his playing time this upcoming season during the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Media Day.
“Back-to-backs are off the table for right now,” Ball said via Spencer Davies of ClutchPoints. “It doesn’t mean it’s off the table for the whole year, but definitely to start, I won’t be doing back-to-backs. And then, my minutes are probably gonna be around 20 minutes to start and take it from there.”
“I think my role is pretty much the same wherever I go: play defense, push the break, hit open shots, and don’t turn the ball over. It’s pretty simple. I’ve been playing basketball for a long time. I haven’t really changed my game at all,” he added.
Cleveland Cavaliers News: Lonzo Ball receives praise from new teammates
As mentioned, Lonzo Ball is already leaving a solid impression on the Cleveland Cavaliers, so much so that his teammates believe he could play a pivotal role in their deep postseason run this upcoming season.
“Just all his skill set combined with his size as a point guard. I mean, that’s going to bring a different aspect to our game and passing ability, and his defensive prowess, he’s just like a winner. He always makes winning plays, he’s always in the right spot at the right time, and he’s not afraid to shoot it either,” Evan Mobley stated.
“From what I’ve seen from Lonzo, he’s a tremendous passer,” De’Andre Hunter continued about Ball. “He’s just a great teammate to play with. He’s one of those guys that, he’s not on your team, but you see him on other teams and you’re like, that’s a dude I would want to play with. He’s a great defender, he’s active, and he can shoot the ball as well. So he’s all around, and I’m excited to run a break with him for sure.”
