Latest news with #ClevelandCavaliers'


Chicago Tribune
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Lonzo Ball is excited for a fresh start with the Cleveland Cavaliers after trade from the Chicago Bulls
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — Lonzo Ball doesn't have to worry about rehabbing from a knee injury for the first time in a couple of seasons. Instead, the veteran guard will use the offseason to get acclimated to a new team. Ball was at the Cleveland Cavaliers' practice complex meeting with the medical staff and coaches on Monday after his trade from the Chicago Bulls for forward Isaac Okoro was finalized on Sunday. Chicago and Cleveland agreed to the trade on June 28, but it didn't become official until the start of the new league year on Sunday. 'I think it's a great situation for my play style,' Ball said. 'Don (Donovan Mitchell) is one of the best players we have in the league. And they have two bigs that are mobile, can set pick-and-rolls and get to the rim like that. And then do some switching on defense. I think we can do a lot of different things on both sides of the ball, and to have the option to be able to do those things is great.' Ball averaged 7.6 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 35 games this past season after missing the 2022-23 and 2023-24 campaigns because of a left knee injury. The 27-year-old Ball underwent a meniscus and cartilage transplant in his left knee in March 2023 after two surgeries failed to fix an injury he suffered during his first season in Chicago in 2021-22. He missed the last two months of the season due to a sprained right wrist, but was encouraged by the way his knee held up throughout the season. 'After the games I didn't really know what to expect. But, you know, when I first got back versus Minnesota in that preseason game, I was kind of surprised that I was moving around,' Ball said. 'I feel like I just got better as the year went on. Unfortunately, I had to deal with my wrist, but as far as my knee was concerned, it was pretty good.' Ball, the second overall pick by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2017 draft, has one year remaining on his contract with a team option for the 2026-27 season. Cleveland had a need at point guard after Ty Jerome signed with the Memphis Grizzlies. Starter Darius Garland is likely to miss the start of the regular season after undergoing surgery on his left big toe last month. The Cavaliers had the second-best record in the NBA at 64-18 but were eliminated in the Eastern Conference semifinals by the Indiana Pacers in five games. Ball has yet to take part in a playoff game in the six seasons he has played, which is something he is hoping will change. 'When you start in September or October you can't look too far ahead. But they were No. 1 in the East last year, so everybody knows that. It's pretty much ring or nothing,' he said. 'It's just making sure I'm prepared to be as available as possible and put myself in the best position to finish the season strong. Right now, it's more so just being in the weight room making sure my lower body is good and stuff like that.'


Time of India
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
LeBron James responds after viral Cleveland Cavaliers' photo triggers Los Angeles Lakers exit rumors
LeBron James responds after viral Cleveland Cavaliers' photo triggers Los Angeles Lakers exit rumors (Image Source: Getty Images) One photo was enough to spark wild speculation among NBA fans. On July 4, LeBron James was spotted at the Cleveland Cavaliers' practice facility and the internet exploded with talk of a surprise reunion. With trade rumors already swirling around the Los Angeles Lakers star, the image sparked wild speculation. But LeBron James quickly addressed a viral photo of him and his response shut down the noise and settled the rumors, at least for now. LeBron James sets record straight after surprise Cleveland Cavaliers' facility sighting On July 4, a fan account called Hoop Central posted a photo of LeBron James at the Cleveland Cavaliers' practice facility, calling it a 'surprise' appearance. The image showed him training alongside a Cavaliers summer league player. But within hours, LeBron jumped onto X, explaining: 'And every summer since it was built. I live here still and train every summer. Got damn yall bored man! Go get a plate of food somewhere and enjoy the 4th of July!' In his post, he clearly said this visit was old news, not a secret push to rejoin Cleveland. He lives nearby and has trained there before. He urged fans to relax and celebrate instead. LeBron James remains committed to Los Angeles Lakers amid swirling offseason talk In late June, LeBron opted for his $ 52.6 million contract with the Los Angeles Lakers. The move came when the Lakers re-shaped their roster, including the arrival of Luka Doncic and the trading of Anthony Davis. As a result, doubts about the franchise's direction and the role of Lebron are increasing. LeBron James responds after viral Cleveland Cavaliers' photo triggers Los Angeles Lakers exit rumors (Image Source: Getty Images) Labron's agent, Rich Paul, told ESPN that James wants to win another championship. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Gold Is Surging in 2025 — Smart Traders Are Already In IC Markets Learn More Undo Despite training in Cleveland, LeBron did not show any indication that he's seeking a trade. NBA insiders have said the Cavaliers are 'not that interested' in pursuing a reunion. Inside the Lakers' locker room, the return of DeAndre Ayton and Jaxson Hayes suggests this summer that the team is aiming for stability, not big shifts. When LeBron goes into what may be his last season, he seems focused on finding success with the Lakers and not returning to his old team. Also Read: 'All love Memphis'- Yuki Kawamura shares heartfelt message as he leaves Memphis Grizzlies In the relentless world of NBA speculation, context is everything. A shared photo had fans whispering trade rumors, champion reunions, and surprise moves. But LeBron's quick explanation brought clarity: he was training, not touring potential trades. Now, as the Lakers close in on finalizing their core, fans and analysts can breathe a little easier, for now. For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the India vs England Test match here . Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.


USA Today
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
LeBron downplays photo of himself at the Cavaliers practice facility
And every summer since it was built. I live here still and train every summer. Got damn yall bored man! Go get a plate of food somewhere and enjoy the 4th of July! Though LeBron James opted into the final year of his contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, his future with the team has been under question because of a statement by Rich Paul about James evaluating what's best for him at this stage of his career. As a result, the moves of someone already under a microscope are being followed even more as people search for clues about what James might potentially do. If anyone knows this, it's James himself, who was photographed at the Cleveland Cavaliers' practice facility Friday with Cavs summer leaguer Denver Jones. Yet, in response to a tweet of the photo with a caption that said "LeBron at the Cavs practice facility today, James took a combative tone. "And every summer since it was built. I live here still and train every summer. Got damn yall bored man! Go get a plate of food somewhere and enjoy the 4th of July!" James said. The Hoop Central account certainly knew what it was doing by posting that caption, but it was harmless enough that James didn't need to respond so strongly... unless he wanted to draw more attention to the photo than it was already getting. In that case, mission accomplished.


USA Today
09-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Darius Garland injury update led to fans searching 'what is a great toe?'
Darius Garland injury update led to fans searching 'what is a great toe?' The biggest reason the Cleveland Cavaliers' 64-win season went down the drain was injuries. Arguably, the most consequential injury pertained to All-Star point guard Darius Garland, who missed four games in the middle of Cleveland's playoff run with something similar to turf toe. When Garland later returned as the eventual Eastern Conference champion Indiana Pacers eliminated the Cavaliers, he was clearly not himself. You might (understandably) think that an explosive athlete like Garland simply couldn't play through a tricky injury to the most important of his (ahem) phalanges. But maybe, just maybe, it's because he doesn't actually have a "big toe" like all other eight billion people on planet Earth and, quite literally, everyone else in human history. No, no, dearest readers. Garland apparently has a "great toe." That's at least according to ESPN's Shams Charania, who reported that Garland underwent surgery on his injured ... great toe. I'm not entirely sure what Charania is talking about. Neither did any NBA fans who looked up what a great toe is on X. But we can make educated guesses, can't we? That's right. It's INVESTIGATION time. A cursory Google search tells me that a "great toe" is just another name for a big toe. That makes sense, and it's what I thought initially anyway. I didn't actually believe that Garland was superhuman and had different anatomy than everyone else ever to walk this floating rock in space. That would be silly and rooted in absolutely zero logic. I know better. You know better. We all know better. The caveat here is that I've had a pulse for over three decades. Never in my life have I ever heard anyone refer to a big toe as a "great toe." Not in school. Not informally amongst family or friends. Not in a medical environment with so many check-ups over the years. Not on television. Not in movies. Not in music. Not in video games. Not on social media. Not once. Also, remember that I write professionally for a living. You would think, at a certain point, that I would be exposed to someone at least writing "great toe" in an email, in a group chat, or in Slack, what have you. Maybe I would've seen it in some other news publication. And nope! It's never happened. Not a single instance. So, there's a rather simple explanation here. Consider the source of Garland's injury/surgery update, Shams Charania. Please note that Charania, like the others in his "scoop artist" line of work, is able to report these kinds of things specifically because agents fill them in after they've established a healthy rapport. And, pray tell, how do you establish a rapport with the agent of a professional athlete? You launder your update about the players they represent through the language they specifically want. In exchange, they let you share that news. In this case, it's not a stretch to assume that Garland's agent wanted Charania to describe his client's big toe as a great toe. Why? Because he's not like the rest of us. He's a one-of-one NBA star, folks. His toes are special. No, wait, they're great. Never mind that no one with functional brain cells would've thought less of Garland for a post saying he had surgery on his big toe. This was Charania taking agent-speak to its natural conclusion: a needless butchering of the English language in the name of (trying) to make someone look better.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Cavaliers announce Darius Garland out 4-5 months after undergoing toe surgery
One of the Cleveland Cavaliers' biggest stars will spend the offseason rehabbing after toe surgery. Darius Garland will miss 4-5 months after undergoing "great toe surgery" Monday, the team announced. Garland is expected to be ready by the time the team begins training camp. Garland, 25, averaged 20.6 points and 6.7 assists for the Cavaliers last season. That performance earned Garland his second appearance in the All-Star Game. This story will be updated.