The Minnesota Timberwolves have reportedly reached an agreement to acquire point guard LaMelo Ball and Josh Green from the Charlotte Hornets. In exchange, the Hornets are set to receive power forward Naz Reid, an unprotected first-round draft pick in 2033, three first-round pick swaps, and three future second-round picks. This deal, which has been reported by multiple sources, is awaiting league approval and cannot be finalised until 6 July.
The first-round pick swaps are scheduled for 2028, 2029, and 2030, while the second-round picks will be in 2029, 2032, and 2033. This transaction is anticipated to be part of a larger set of deals for Minnesota, including the reported trade of Julius Randle to the Brooklyn Nets, which also involved the Chicago Bulls. The Hornets are expected to gain an NBA-record trade exception of nearly $41m from these moves.
Ball’s arrival and Timberwolves’ ambitions
Ball, who was the No 3 overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft, had three years remaining on a five-year, $203.9m designated rookie contract. An All-Star in 2022, he has faced challenges with ankle and foot injuries throughout his career. However, he played in 72 games last season, averaging 20.1 points, 7.1 assists, and 4.8 rebounds. He also finished second in the league in three-pointers made last year with 272.
Despite his individual performance, Ball was unable to lead the Hornets to the playoffs during his six seasons with the club, with injuries playing a role in his availability. He missed 141 games over the three seasons prior to the last one. His arrival in Minnesota will pair him with Anthony Edwards, the No 1 pick from the 2020 draft, forming a new backcourt combination.
The Timberwolves have been actively seeking to strengthen their roster after recent playoff disappointments. They reached the Western Conference finals in 2024 and 2025 but were subsequently ousted in six games in the second round of the playoffs by the San Antonio Spurs last season. Their five-game loss in 2025 to the eventual champion Oklahoma City Thunder and the defeat by the Spurs highlighted the team’s need to reach a championship level.
Minnesota’s move for Ball comes days after the reported trade of Randle to the Nets. Additionally, the Timberwolves reportedly reached an agreement to retain guard Ayo Dosunmu for four more seasons. The team’s backcourt now includes Ball, Dosunmu, Edwards, and veteran guard Mike Conley.
Hornets’ outlook and player movements
In return for Ball and Green, the Hornets will receive Reid, who has spent all seven of his NBA seasons with the Timberwolves. The 6ft 11in forward averaged 13.6 points and a career-best 6.2 rebounds last season. Reid was also a former Kia Sixth Man of the Year Award winner.
The Hornets are expected to re-sign unrestricted free agent Coby White to serve as their starting point guard. Charlotte will integrate Reid into a core that includes Kia All-Rookie First Team swingman Kon Knueppel, along with veterans Miles Bridges and Grant Williams, and rising forward Brandon Miller. The team made it to the Play-In Tournament last season, winning 44 games after having 19 wins in the 2024-25 season.
The Hornets rewarded coach Charles Lee with a contract extension, with Lee stating that one of his goals for the 2026-27 season is to guide Charlotte to the playoffs. The team demonstrated strong performance in the latter part of last season, leading the league in rebounding percentage (54.8%), second-chance points (19.0), and three-pointers made per game (17.3) since 1 January. They also beat Miami in the Play-In for their first postseason win since 2016 in the No 9 seed versus No 10 seed Play-In game.
The Hornets finished January with an 11-6 record and tied for the highest point differential on the road (+151) in any month in NBA history, earning Lee the award for Eastern Conference Coach of the Month.
The deals cannot be finalised until 6 July, when the league moratorium on such moves is lifted.
Source: theguardian.com