LaMelo Ball trade details: Timberwolves pair Hornets star with Anthony Edwards in deal involving Naz Reid
The Charlotte Hornets are coming off somewhat of a breakthrough season, but they are breaking up their core with a blockbuster deal.
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Former All-Star guard LaMelo Ball is headed to the Minnesota Timberwolves in a trade, according to multiple reports, with a package headlined by Naz Reid heading back to Charlotte.
Reports late Wednesday night indicated the Hornets were discussing Ball trades with interested teams, including the Raptors and Timberwolves, despite Ball not asking to be moved. Now, the former Rookie of the Year is headed to play alongside Anthony Edwards as Minnesota tries to assert itself in a crowded West.
Here are the full details of Ball’s trade to the Timberwolves.
LaMelo Ball trade details
The Timberwolves are sending Reid, four draft picks and four pick swaps to the Hornets for Ball:
Timberwolves receive:
- PG LaMelo Ball
- SG Josh Green
Hornets receive:
- PF Naz Reid
- 2033 unprotected first-round pick
- 3 first-round pick swaps (2028, 2029, 2030)
- 3 second-round picks (2029, 2032, 2033)
Charlotte is only receiving one first-round pick, but three pick swaps could be significant draft capital, particularly under more unpredictable lottery rules.
The Timberwolves, meanwhile, give up those assets to land a standout point guard after Mike Conley started to show his age over the last two seasons and they tried to fit other players into that role down the stretch this past season.
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LaMelo Ball contract
Ball has three years remaining on a five-year, $203.8 million extension he signed with the Hornets. He’s set to count for $40.8 million against the cap for the Timberwolves this season, with that figure rising to $43.6 million in 2027-28 and $46.4 million in 2028-29.
The deal reduces the Hornets’ payroll by $21 million, according to Third Apron’s Yossi Gozlan.
LaMelo Ball stats
| Season | Team | Games | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | FG% | 3P% |
| 2020-21 | Hornets | 51 | 15.7 | 5.9 | 6.1 | 1.6 | 43.6% | 35.2% |
| 2021-22 | Hornets | 75 | 20.1 | 6.7 | 7.6 | 1.6 | 42.9% | 38.9% |
| 2022-23 | Hornets | 36 | 23.3 | 6.4 | 8.4 | 1.3 | 41.1% | 37.6% |
| 2023-24 | Hornets | 22 | 23.9 | 5.1 | 8.0 | 1.8 | 43.3% | 35.5% |
| 2024-25 | Hornets | 47 | 25.2 | 4.9 | 7.4 | 1.1 | 40.5% | 33.9% |
| 2025-26 | Hornets | 72 | 20.1 | 4.8 | 7.1 | 1.2 | 40.7% | 36.8% |
| Career | 303 | 20.8 | 5.7 | 7.3 | 1.4 | 41.8% | 36.5% |
Ball has averaged more than 20 points and seven assists per game in each of his last five seasons, but the number that stands out the most might be his number of games played. Ball has only reached the 55-game mark twice in six seasons, missing large chunks of each of the prior three seasons before a much healthier 2025-26 campaign.
LaMelo Ball career timeline
- 2020-26: Charlotte Hornets
- 2026-present: Minnesota Timberwolves
Ball was selected No. 3 overall in the 2020 NBA Draft by the Hornets and earned Rookie of the Year honors in the shortened 2020-21 season.
Despite one All-Star selection and some impressive numbers, Ball has yet to play in a playoff game. The Timberwolves fully expect that to change next season, and just making the playoffs certainly isn’t the standard in Minnesota now that Ball and Edwards — two of the top three picks in the 2020 draft — are paired together.
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