EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsThe Charlotte Hornets are trading star guard LaMelo Ball and Josh Green to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Naz Reid and a series of draft picks, sources tell ESPN's Shams Charania.In addition to Reid, the Hornets will receive a 2033 unprotected first-round pick and three second-round picks (2029, 2032, 2033). The teams will also swap three first-round picks in 2028, 2029 and 2030.The Hornets fielded aggressive offers in recent days from multiple teams pursuing the point guard. The Timberwolves, Toronto Raptors and Portland Trail Blazers were among the teams going after Ball, sources told ESPN.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 and ending a postseason drought that dates to 2016.Ball -- who has three years left on his contract and is eligible to sign a two-year, $119.2 million extension July 6 -- helped the Hornets win 44 games last season after having 19 victories the season before.Ball averaged 20.1 points, 7.1 assists and 4.8 rebounds and shot 36.8% from 3 in 72 regular-season games, his most played since he logged 75 in his second season in 2021-22. Unfortunately for Ball, much of his Hornets career was slowed by injuries as he played a total of 105 games from 2022-23 to 2024-25.Reid, 26, averaged 13.6 and 6.2 rebounds per game last season and is a career 37% shooter from 3. He was the 2024 Sixth Man of the Year.Wolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly has for years been searching for a co-star to team with All-Star guard Anthony Edwards, trying to land the likes of Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo in recent months. But the team's hole at point guard was glaring, especially after guard Donte DiVincenzo ruptured his Achilles during the playoffs last season.The team's core, now, will be its 24-year-old backcourt, in Edwards and Ball, and 25-year-old wing Jaden McDaniels. All three are under contract through the 2028-2029 season.The Hornets were 11-23 on Jan. 2 but won 32 of the next 45 games and enjoyed massive wins over the likes of the Knicks, Thunder, Spurs, Nuggets and Celtics. From Jan. 1 to the end of the regular season, the Hornets had the top-ranked offense and fifth-ranked defense.Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel will take on a much bigger roles for the Hornets moving forward. Charlotte also wants to re-sign Coby White, who averaged 15.6 points in 21 games after landing with the Hornets in a trade deadline deal.Miller, the second pick in 2023, averaged a team-high 20.2 points and 4.9 rebounds in 65 games while Knueppel finished second in Rookie of the Year voting to Dallas' Cooper Flagg after becoming the first rookie to lead the league in 3-pointers made. Ball finished second in most 3-pointers made in the season behind his rookie teammate.Ball helped the Hornets beat the Miami Heat 127-126 in overtime in the first Eastern Conference play-in game when he scored 30 points, including the game-winning layup with 4.7 seconds left in overtime.Ball, however, was fined $35,000 "for making unnecessary and reckless contact" with Bam Adebayo during that win after Ball swiped at the Heat center's foot while on the ground, sending Adebayo to the floor and injuring his lower back. Ball also was fined $25,000 for using profane language during a TV interview after the win and later apologized to Adebayo.The Hornets were crushed by the Magic 121-90 in Orlando in the following play-in game to end their season. After trailing by as much as 35 in the first half, Ball scored 21 of his 23 points in the third quarter and said he should have been more aggressive from the start instead of the Hornets running through their plays.Ball, who turns 25 in August, won't have a chance to snap the Hornets' 10-year postseason drought, as his time in Charlotte comes to an end after six seasons with the franchise. After winning Rookie of the Year honors in his first season, Ball was named an All-Star in year two after averaging 20.1 points, 7.8 assists and 6.7 rebounds.Ball enjoyed playing with a Hornets team that had a tight-knit locker room and wanted to show critics that he is all about winning. He averaged his fewest minutes per game (28.0) of his career, averaged his fewest shots per game (17.3) since his second season and limited his turnovers to match the lowest average in a season (2.8) of his career. He even came off the bench in three games to help the team manage his health.Charlotte drafted rebounding big man Hannes Steinbach of Washington with the 14th overall pick and Texas Tech guard Christian Anderson Jr. with the 16th overall pick in this week's draft.
