Charlotte ships LaMelo Ball to Minnesota in multi-pick deal
Charlotte ships LaMelo Ball to Minnesota in multi-pick deal
The Charlotte Hornets have traded guard LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves, according to reports, pairing the 2021 Rookie of the Year with All-Star Anthony Edwards on a franchise that has reached the Western Conference Finals in each of the past two seasons. Charlotte also sent Josh Green to Minnesota in the deal.
In return, the Hornets received center Naz Reid, an unprotected 2033 first-round pick, three first-round pick swaps, and three second-round picks. The trade adds to a Charlotte draft stockpile that already includes six first-round picks and eight second-round picks across the next three offseasons, assets accumulated in part to compensate for durability concerns surrounding Ball, who appeared in just 105 games from the start of the 2022-23 season through the 2024-25 campaign. Charlotte also holds picks from this week’s draft, having selected with the 14th and 18th overall choices. Ball is under contract through a five-year, $260 million extension he signed in 2023.
Minnesota has qualified for the playoffs in five consecutive seasons and brings Ball into an offense led by Edwards, who averaged a career-high 28.8 points per game last season. The Hornets, by contrast, have not reached the postseason since 2015-16. Ball averaged 20.8 points and 7.3 assists per game during his tenure in Charlotte.
The deal reshapes both rosters ahead of the 2025-26 season, giving Minnesota a second high-volume playmaker alongside Edwards while positioning Charlotte to accumulate assets for a longer-term rebuild.
