Hornets Trade LaMelo Ball to Timberwolves in Blockbuster Deal
The Charlotte Hornets have executed a significant trade, sending guard LaMelo Ball along with teammate Josh Green to the Minnesota Timberwolves. In return, the Hornets receive Naz Reid, a 2033 unprotected first-round pick, three first-round pick swaps, and three second-round pick swaps. This major move not only reconfigures the teams involved but also adds excitement to the upcoming NBA season.
LaMelo Ball, now 24 years old, has spent all six years of his NBA career with the Hornets after being selected third overall in the 2020 draft. He is currently in the third year of a lucrative five-year contract worth $203.8 million, and is scheduled to earn $40.7 million in the upcoming season. The Timberwolves, now facing a luxury tax for the third consecutive year, are banking on Ball’s talents to enhance their performance after being ousted in the second round of the NBA Playoffs by the San Antonio Spurs.
In the most recent season, Ball showcased his skills across 71 games, averaging 20.1 points per game with a shooting percentage of 40%. He also contributed 7.1 assists and 4.8 rebounds, nearly reaching his career high of 75 games played in 2021. Notably, Ball had 35 games with at least 20 points, including a standout performance of 38 points against the Washington Wizards on October 26th.
On the other hand, 25-year-old Josh Green joins the Timberwolves albeit coming off what has been described as the most challenging season of his career. Posting an average of just 4.3 points per game, this is a striking decline from his rookie year performance of 2.6 points per game. Despite this, Green’s three-point shooting saw a significant improvement, with a line of 42% compared to the previous year’s 39%. However, his average playing time decreased sharply; he went from 27.8 minutes per game in the 2024-2025 season to only 15.7 this past season.
In contrast, Naz Reid, now 26, has spent his entire seven-year NBA career with the Timberwolves since entering the league as an undrafted free agent in 2019. Reid has carved out a reputation as one of the league’s effective bench players. Named the Sixth Man of the Year in 2024, he has consistently ranked among the top five for the award in the seasons since. This past season, he averaged 13.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.0 blocks over 77 games.
The Timberwolves planned to elevate Reid to a starting role following the trade of Julius Randle to the Brooklyn Nets. Now, with Reid moving to the Hornets, he is set to play a crucial role for Charlotte, who made an unexpected playoff run last season.
