NBA impact trade: Hornets send Ball, Green to Timberwolves for Reid and draft picks
A significant move on the NBA scene was announced this Thursday, with the Charlotte Hornets trading point guard LaMelo Ball and player Josh Green to the Minnesota Timberwolves. The transaction, confirmed by sources to ESPN’s Shams Charania, involves the Hornets acquiring Naz Reid and a number of draft picks.
The Charlotte team secured, in addition to Reid, an unprotected first-round pick for the 2033 draft, along with three second-round picks, to be used in the years 2029, 2032 and 2033. Additionally, the Hornets will guarantee exchanges of first-round picks for the 2028, 2029 and 2030 selections.
In the days leading up to the officialization of this trade, the Charlotte Hornets were the target of several robust proposals from several franchises in the league, all seeking to acquire the talented Ball. According to information obtained by ESPN, the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Toronto Raptors and the Portland Trail Blazers were among the teams most committed to competing for the point guard.
Despite the trade, LaMelo Ball expressed satisfaction in Charlotte, and the relationship between the player and the team seemed positive, especially after a remarkable turnaround the previous season. The Hornets were just one win away from clinching a playoff spot via play-in, which would have ended a long period of absence from the postseason since 2016.
With three years left on his current contract and the possibility of signing a two-year extension, valued at US$119.2 million, starting July 6, Ball was a key player in the Hornets achieving 44 wins last season. This performance represented a considerable leap from the 19 victories recorded in the previous championship.
The athlete recorded impressive averages of 20.1 points, 7.1 assists and 4.8 rebounds, shooting 36.8% from three-point range over 72 regular season games. This mark represents his highest game appearance since his sophomore year in 2021-22, when he played in 75 contests. However, Ball’s career with the Hornets was frequently affected by physical problems, with him appearing in just 105 games between the 2022-23 and 2024-25 seasons.
Naz Reid, who is 26 years old, ended last season with averages of 13.6 points and 6.2 rebounds per game, in addition to boasting a 37.1% three-point shooting rate in his career. In recognition of his performance, he was awarded the title of Best Sixth Man of the Year in 2024.
For a long time, Timberwolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly has been searching for a big-impact player to play alongside All-Star point guard Anthony Edwards. Attempts to bring in talent like Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo have been made in recent months. The need for a capable point guard has become even more urgent, especially after Donte DiVincenzo suffered an Achilles injury in last season’s playoffs.
From now on, the backbone of the team will be made up of guards Edwards and Ball, both 24 years old, and winger Jaden McDaniels, 25 years old. This trio has guaranteed contracts until the 2028-29 season.
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At a crucial point in the season on January 2, the Hornets were 11-23 but staged an impressive comeback, winning 32 of their subsequent 45 games. During this period, the team achieved notable triumphs against strong opponents, including the Knicks, Thunder, Spurs, Nuggets and Celtics. Between January 1st and the end of the regular season, Charlotte stood out with the best attack and the fifth best defense in the entire NBA.
With Ball’s departure, Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel are expected to gain more prominence and responsibility in the Charlotte Hornets’ tactical scheme. The franchise is also focused on extending Coby White’s contract, which, according to ESPN sources, is targeting a new three-year, $74 million contract. White, who joined the Hornets in February from the Bulls at the NBA trade deadline, averaged 15.6 points in 21 games with the team.
Miller, who was the second overall pick in the 2023 draft, has shown great potential, averaging 20.2 points and 4.9 rebounds in 65 games, leading the team in these statistics. Kon Knueppel, in turn, secured second place in the dispute for the Rookie of the Year award, behind only Cooper Flagg, from the Dallas Mavericks, after becoming the first rookie to lead the league in three-pointers made. Interestingly, Ball ended the season in second place in three-pointers, just behind his teammate, also a freshman.
In a memorable game, Ball was decisive in leading the Hornets to a 127-126 overtime victory over the Miami Heat during the first Eastern Conference playoff game. He contributed 30 points and scored the basket that sealed the triumph just 4.7 seconds before extra time ended.
However, Ball’s trajectory this season was not without controversy. He received a $35,000 fine for “unnecessary and reckless contact” with the Heat’s Bam Adebayo by trying to hit the center’s foot while he was on the ground, resulting in Adebayo falling and injuring his lower back. The point guard later apologized to the opposing player. Additionally, Ball was penalized $25,000 for using offensive language in a television interview given after the victory.
In the next playoff match, the Charlotte Hornets suffered a crushing 121-90 defeat to the Orlando Magic, which put an end to their campaign. After the Charlotte team fell 35 points behind on the scoreboard during the first half, Ball demonstrated a reaction by scoring 21 of his 23 total points in the third quarter, admitting that he should have adopted a more offensive stance from the beginning of the match.
LaMelo Ball, who will celebrate his 25th birthday in August, will no longer have the opportunity to help the Hornets break a 10-year streak without playoff appearances as his journey with the Charlotte franchise ends after six seasons. In his first year, he was recognized as Rookie of the Year, and in his second season, he achieved All-Star status, recording averages of 20.1 points, 7.6 assists and 6.7 rebounds per contest.
The player stated that he enjoyed the experience of playing in a Hornets squad with a cohesive locker room environment, and his desire was to demonstrate to critics that his main objective was victory. In the most recent season, Ball recorded the lowest minutes per game average of his career (28.0), as well as the lowest shots per game average (17.3) since his second year in the league. He also managed to limit the number of turnovers to his career average (2.8). At times, he was used off the bench in three games to help manage his physical condition.
This week, during the draft, the Charlotte team made two important selections: center Hannes Steinbach, from Washington, chosen 14th overall, and guard Christian Anderson Jr., from Texas Tech, selected with the 18th overall pick.
