On Thursday night, the Chicago Bulls hosted the Cleveland Cavaliers for their second preseason game in a rematch of their exhibition contest back on Tuesday. Despite being two division rivals, the two teams clearly have a good working relationship. This was evident in how they managed to strike a trade this past offseason, with the Bulls sending Lonzo Ball to the Cavs in exchange for former fourth overall pick Isaac Okoro.
Ball was a part of the Bulls roster for four seasons, although he did play in just a total of 70 games for the franchise after knee injuries rendered him a shell of his former self and prevented him from suiting up for two full seasons. This made his return to the hardwood last season all the more celebrated, as it was a big deal that he was able to get himself back to NBA form after some initial fears that he may not be able to walk again.
On Thursday night, with the game being at United Center, they wasted no time showing love to one of their former players — with the Bulls playing a video package to celebrate Ball's return at his old stomping grounds (via Will Gottlieb of CHGO).
Bulls give a nice video tribute to Lonzo Ball in his return to the UC pic.twitter.com/St70g6H6D9
— Will Gottlieb (@Will_Gottlieb) October 10, 2025
A lot of Ball's impact on the court cannot be measured on the box score, and his arrival in 2021 set a winning culture for the franchise. It did help that the Bulls also brought in DeMar DeRozan during that offseason, but Ball was a difference-maker on the defensive end, and he did so many little things to help his team win, like fight for loose balls and be a reliable floor-spacer.
The 2021-22 Bulls went 22-13 with Ball in the lineup and 24-23 without him. It's no coincidence that the Bulls struggled to compete even in the weaker East when Ball was on the mend, nursing a knee injury.
Bulls move on from Lonzo Ball as he moves on to a contender
The Cavs definitely have high hopes for Ball and how healthy he would be this upcoming season if they were confident enough to trade away Okoro, a rotation fixture and a beloved locker-room member, for him.
Meanwhile, the Bulls are trusting the youth, with Josh Giddey, Coby White, and Matas Buzelis expected to lead the team from here on out. Noa Essengue has shown flashes of being a two-way force as well. But this Bulls squad definitely needs a lot more pieces to be a legitimate playoff team out East.
