The Minnesota Timberwolves have pulled off a blockbuster deal to bring Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball to the Twin Cities, pairing the 2021 Rookie of the Year with fellow 2020 draft lottery pick Anthony Edwards in what promises to be one of the NBA’s most dynamic backcourts.
The trade, reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania, sees the Timberwolves also acquiring swingman Josh Green, while the Hornets will receive centre Naz Reid, a 2033 unprotected first-round pick, three future first-round pick swaps (2028, 2029 and 2030), and three second-round selections covering the 2029, 2032 and 2033 drafts.
The Trade
The Hornets will receive a 2033 unprotected first-round pick from Minnesota, along with three second-round picks for the 2029, 2032 and 2033 drafts. In addition, the two teams will swap first-round picks in the 2028, 2029 and 2030 drafts, giving Charlotte potential leverage on the Timberwolves’ future positioning. In return, the Timberwolves land Ball and Green, a defensive-minded wing who was acquired by Charlotte in a six-team trade in July 2024.
Ball, selected third overall by the Hornets in 2020, has three years remaining on his current contract, a five-year, $203.85 million extension signed on 6 July 2023 that runs through the 2028-29 season. That deal could climb to as much as $260 million if Ball earns All-NBA honours under the league’s designated rookie extension rule. Notably, on 6 July this year he will become eligible to sign a further two-year, $119.2 million extension. His salary for the 2026-27 season is projected at $40.77 million.
Green, chosen by Dallas in the first round of the same 2020 draft, is entering a three-year, $41 million contract that begins next season. His deal has drawn criticism from some analysts as the Hornets’ “worst offseason move” given its average annual value of $13.6 million.
The Players and the Future
Ball, a one-time All-Star (2022), is the second-youngest player in NBA history to reach 1,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 1,000 assists. However, his career has been punctuated by a series of injuries, particularly to his ankles — including a right ankle fracture in February 2023 that required surgery, multiple left ankle sprains, a right wrist fracture in 2021 and a left calf strain in November 2024. Over his career, he has appeared in only around 57 per cent of possible games, a durability concern that has shadowed his elite offensive gifts.
In Minnesota, he will link up with Anthony Edwards, the No.1 overall selection in 2020 — two picks before Ball — who has already established himself as a four-time All-Star (2023–2026), a two-time All-NBA Second Team pick and an Olympic gold medallist. Edwards is under contract through the 2028-29 season, giving the Timberwolves a long-term pairing built on explosive scoring and playmaking.
Heading the other way is Naz Reid, who signed a five-year, $125 million contract extension with the Timberwolves on 27 June this year after declining a $15 million player option. The undrafted free agent, who has spent his entire career in Minnesota, was named the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year in 2024 and averaged 14.2 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 80 games during the 2024-25 campaign. He is one of only three players in the league over the past three seasons to score 2,000 points off the bench, and his new deal makes him one of the highest-paid reserves in the NBA.
The trade reshapes the draft capital of both franchises. The Timberwolves, who reached the Western Conference Finals for the second straight season in 2024-25, have limited future picks after previous trades. Their own 2029 first-round pick is encumbered to Utah, but they now hold an unprotected first-rounder from Charlotte in 2033, and they will swap picks with the Hornets in 2028, 2029 and 2030. The Hornets, meanwhile, add a collection of second-round picks and a promising young centre in Reid, while also positioning themselves to benefit if Minnesota’s trajectory declines — they will have the opportunity to swap first-round picks in three of the next six seasons.
Charlotte’s direction appears to shift towards a rebuild, with early reports suggesting the franchise may look to build around rookie Kon Knueppel. The Hornets had previously shown interest in retaining Ball, but injuries and contract uncertainty appear to have prompted a reset. Other teams, including the Toronto Raptors and Milwaukee Bucks, had also registered interest in Ball before the Timberwolves moved decisively.
For Minnesota, the deal represents a bold bet on Ball’s availability and fit alongside Edwards, a backcourt that could rival any in the league if health permits. The departure of Reid, a fan favourite and key contributor off the bench, leaves a void in the frontcourt rotation, but the Timberwolves have opted to consolidate star power in pursuit of a deeper playoff run.
