Lonzo Ball is now a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the team hopes to get the most out of him.
Ball has suffered some major setbacks over the last few years, but he is looking to put it behind him.
And the Cavs are looking to use his terrific point guard skill set as a way to become the best team in the East.
Speaking to NBA TV, Cleveland head coach Kenny Atkinson talked about how great a fit Ball will be with the team in 2025-26.
“I think the alignment between me and the front office, the coaching staff, and the front office is huge,” Atkinson said. “They have to understand finding system fits and when Koby (Altman) brought Lonzo’s name in front of me, I said, ‘Man, that aligns perfectly with how we play.’ He’s a guy that makes other guys better. He’s a kick-ahead guy. He defends and has got positional size. It’s so important.”
"[He] aligns perfectly with how we play."
Kenny Atkinson on the @cavs acquiring Lonzo Ball with @GregAnthony50 and @JaredSGreenberg 🤝 pic.twitter.com/DkHTFRAHpY
— NBA TV (@NBATV) July 10, 2025
Last season, Ball put up 7.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.3 assists on 36.6 percent from the field and 34.4 percent from the three-point line.
It is important to remember that he only played in 35 games because of nagging injuries that he was overcoming.
The hope is that 2025-26 will give Ball a chance to play like the player he used to be and move further away from his physical problems.
As noted by Atkinson, he is a great positional player, one who completely understands the importance of the point guard.
Will he be a starter or just come off the bench?
No matter how much he plays, Ball holds a lot of potential when the Cavaliers need it most.
There are worries, of course, with some fans concerned that he will get hurt again and miss a lot of time.
But Atkinson sees all the upside Ball could bring, and he’s excited for him to get started.
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