Detroit Lakes, MN (KDLM) – The Minnesota Timberwolves have landed a backcourt partner for Anthony Edwards, agreeing to acquire All-Star guard LaMelo Ball from the Charlotte Hornets in a blockbuster trade reported Thursday by ESPN’s Shams Charania.
In the deal, Charlotte sends Ball and guard Josh Green to Minnesota. In return, the Hornets receive fan-favorite forward Naz Reid, a 2033 unprotected first-round pick, three first-round pick swaps in 2028, 2029 and 2030, and three second-round picks in 2029, 2032 and 2033.
Ball, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, was named Rookie of the Year in 2021 and an All-Star in 2022. The move pairs him with Edwards, the No. 1 pick in that same 2020 draft, giving the Timberwolves a 24-year-old All-Star backcourt. Wolves wing Jaden McDaniels, 25, rounds out a young core in Minnesota.
Ball is coming off the healthiest season of his career, appearing in 72 games for Charlotte while averaging 20.1 points, 7.1 assists and 4.8 rebounds and shooting 36.8% from three-point range. He helped the Hornets win 44 games and fell one play-in win short of ending a postseason drought that dates back to 2016. Much of his Charlotte tenure had been slowed by injuries, as he missed 141 games over the three seasons before this one.
Ball has three years and roughly $130 million left on his contract and becomes eligible to sign a two-year, $119.2 million extension on July 6th.
For Minnesota, the move comes at a cost. Reid, 26, is among the most popular players in franchise history and was the 2024 Sixth Man of the Year. He averaged 13.6 points and 6.2 rebounds last season and is a career 37.1% three-point shooter. Reid had spent all seven of his NBA seasons with the Timberwolves. Green, a six-year veteran who has played for Dallas and Charlotte, joins Minnesota as part of the package.
Timberwolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly has spent years searching for a co-star to play alongside Edwards, with the team’s hole at point guard a glaring need — especially after guard Donte DiVincenzo ruptured his Achilles during last season’s playoffs. Connelly hinted at a move after the first round of the draft Tuesday night, saying the team had to create as many good shots as possible for Edwards, whether from within the current roster or by looking elsewhere.
The Ball trade caps a busy stretch of roster moves for Minnesota. The Timberwolves recently agreed to send forward Julius Randle to Brooklyn in a three-team deal involving the Chicago Bulls, and the Ball trade is expected to be folded into that transaction. Minnesota also reached an agreement to bring back guard Ayo Dosunmu on a five-year, $112 million deal.
On Charlotte’s side, the Hornets quickly moved to agree on a three-year, $74 million contract with guard Coby White as their projected new starting point guard. The decision to trade Ball is a bold one for a franchise that turned a corner last season and broke up a young core that also features Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel.
The trade was first reported by ESPN and confirmed by the Associated Press. The deal cannot be finalized until July 6th, when the league’s offseason moratorium lifts, and it still requires NBA approval before becoming official.
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