sports
Hornets trade LaMelo Ball and Josh Green to Timberwolves for Naz Reid and picks
The Charlotte Hornets are sending LaMelo Ball and Josh Green to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Naz Reid and multiple draft assets. The deal includes an unprotected 2033 first-round pick and three second-round selections.
Jun 25, 9:21 PM·2m read5 sources
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The Charlotte Hornets are trading star guard LaMelo Ball and Josh Green to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Naz Reid and a series of draft picks. In addition to Reid, the Hornets will receive a 2033 unprotected first-round pick and three second-round picks in 2029, 2032 and 2033. Charlotte also gets first-round pick swaps in 2028, 2029 and 2030.
Background on the deal The Hornets fielded aggressive offers in recent days from multiple teams pursuing Ball. The Timberwolves, Toronto Raptors and Portland Trail Blazers were among the teams going after the point guard. Ball had been happy in Charlotte, and both parties were in a good place after the Hornets enjoyed a massive turnaround last season and fell one play-in win short of making the playoffs.
Player performance and contract details Ball helped the Hornets win 44 games last season after having 19 victories the season before. He averaged 20.1 points, 7.1 assists and 4.8 rebounds and shot 36.8% from 3 in 72 regular-season games. Ball, who has three years left on his contract and is eligible to sign a two-year, $119.2 million extension July 6, played a total of 105 games from 2022-23 to 2024-25 due to injuries.
Reid, 26, averaged 13.6 points and 6.2 rebounds per game last season and is a career 37.1% 3-point shooter. He was the 2024 Sixth Man of the Year.
Team outlook after the trade The Timberwolves' core now will be its 24-year-old backcourt of Anthony Edwards and Ball and 25-year-old wing Jaden McDaniels. All three are under contract through the 2028-29 season. Charlotte is also expected to re-sign Coby White, who intends to sign a three-year, $74 million deal.
White averaged 15.6 points in 21 games for the Hornets after being acquired from the Bulls at the NBA trade deadline in February. Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel will take on bigger roles for the Hornets moving forward. Miller averaged a team-high 20.2 points and 4.9 rebounds in 65 games while Knueppel finished second in Rookie of the Year voting.
