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Sources say there has been some preliminary conversation between the Cavaliers and Hornets about Ball trade constructions that could furnish Charlotte with second-round draft capital and thus enable the Hornets to pair the elder Ball with his younger brother LaMelo. Charlotte, Brooklyn and Utah, according to league sources, are all teams that have been looking to facilitate multi-team trades or take on unwanted salary in exchange for draft pick compensation.
![Brandon Ingram: [Laughs]. I don’t know if we would’ve …](https://sportsdata.usatoday.com/gcdn/content-pipeline-sports-images/sports2/nba/players/214152.png?format=png8&auto=webp&quality=85,75&width=140)
During that 2018-19 Lakers season, things were looking bright until LeBron James went down with a groin injury. Do you think that squad was talented enough to make the Finals if everyone had stayed healthy? Brandon Ingram: [Laughs]. I don’t know if we would’ve made the Finals, but I will say we were a very talented team. We had our young core in their second and third years—Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart, Kyle Kuzma, Ivica Zubac. We had LeBron, Rondo, and Michael Beasley. It was a smart group. We would have had a chance, but we were also pretty inexperienced. I’m not sure about the Finals, but we were definitely talented enough to make a real run in the playoffs.
Yossi Gozlan: The Cavaliers are now a Lonzo Ball and two minimum salaries dump away from getting under the second apron. Assuming the two second-round picks headed out are from the Cavaliers, they have two second remaining to trade.
In addition, after HoopsHype reported three days ago that Hunter and Lonzo Ball were potential trade candidates, the Washington Wizards are among the teams that have checked in on Ball, HoopsHype has learned. The Wizards have been open to being incentivized with draft pick compensation to use their nearly $30 million in luxury tax room space and traded player exceptions for teams needing to dump salary, league sources told HoopsHype.
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Ethan Sands: Asked about Lonzo Ball: Kenny Atkinson: "This is not permanent ... we're going to need him. He's a playoff basketball player." Donovan Mitchell on Ball's energy: "He's still the same guy. Still joking, laughing ... still teaching and still having a good time on the bench."
The Cavaliers have ruled out Lonzo Ball (left knee injury management) for Tuesday's game against New Orleans. Darius Garland (left quadriceps contusion) is questionable.
On the same podcast, Fedor identified De’Andre Hunter, Max Strus, Lonzo Ball and Dean Wade as a handful of players on mid-sized salaries who could potentially be traded in the coming weeks if Cleveland’s front office decides against a more drastic overhaul. The issue, Fedor continued, is that Strus has yet to play a game as he continues to recover from offseason foot surgery, and Hunter, Ball and Wade are all struggling in 2025/26. Fedor pointed out that Ball ($10MM team option for ’26/27) and Wade ($6MM expiring contract) could be easier to move than Hunter and Strus, as the latter two make more money and have guaranteed deals next season.
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Chris Fedor: Along with the expected #Cavs who were already out tonight here in Indiana — Larry Nance Jr., Max Strus, Jarrett Allen and Sam Merrill — the team will also be without Darius Garland (toe injury management) and Lonzo Ball (illness).
Danny Cunningham: #Cavs list Jarrett Allen (finger), Sam Merrill (hand), Lonzo Ball (injury management) and Larry Nance Jr. (calf) all out for tomorrow’s game against Boston. Craig Porter Jr. (hamstring) is questionable.
Lonzo Ball: Unpopular opinion probably though I feel like I could have played with D’Angelo Russell honestly. I think they should have just maybe just kept all these picks and just see how it would have went but I mean they still got the ring so, you know, worked out for them.