Reports: Wolves acquire LaMelo Ball, send big man Naz Reid to Hornets
Reports: Wolves acquire LaMelo Ball, send big man Naz Reid to Hornets
Field Level MediaThu, June 25, 2026 at 2:52 PM UTC
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Apr 14, 2026; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) looks to pass defended by Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (14) during the second half during the play-in rounds between the Charlotte Hornets and the Miami Heat of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images (Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images)
The Charlotte Hornets are sending guards LaMelo Ball and Josh Green to the Minnesota Timberwolves, acquiring forward/center Naz Reid and a bevy of draft picks, multiple outlets reported Thursday.
According to ESPN, the Hornets will receive a 2033 unprotected first-round pick, three first-round pick swaps (2028, 2029, 2030) and three second-round picks (2029, 2032, 2033).
The Timberwolves have made moves this week after star Anthony Edwards said he would ask for a trade if the front office didn't build a championship-level roster around him. Minnesota lost to the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference semifinals in six games in the recently completed playoffs.
On Monday, Minnesota dealt forward Julius Randle and the 28th overall pick in the Tuesday draft to the Nets for the 33rd overall selection. The move saved them Randle's salary and the cost of paying a first-round pick, freeing up money for player acquisition.
And Tuesday, reports indicated the team had agreed to a five-year, $112 million deal with guard Ayo Dosunmu, whom Minnesota acquired from the Chicago Bulls earlier this year.
Ball will turn 25 in August, but he already has spent six seasons in the NBA after the Hornets chose him with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2020 draft. Frequent injuries have limited him to 303 games (280 starts), though he did play in 72 games last season with averages of 20.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 7.1 assists.
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The 2020-21 NBA Rookie of the Year, he has career averages of 20.8 points, 5.7 rebounds and 7.3 assists.
Green, 25, also was a first-round pick in the 2020 draft, selected No. 18 overall by the Mavericks. After four seasons in Dallas, he spent the past two in Charlotte.
In the 2024-25 season, Green appeared in 68 games (67 starts) and averaged 27.8 minutes per game. The shooting guard, however, took a back seat last season as rookie sharpshooter Kon Kneuppel moved into the starting job.
In the 2025-26 season, Green played in 58 games, all off the bench, and averaged 4.3 points in 15.7 minutes per game.
The 6-foot-9 Reid, who turns 27 in August, was an undrafted free agent signed to a two-way deal by the Timberwolves in 2019.
The Sixth Man of the Year in 2023-24, Reid has appeared in 483 games (77 starts) with averages of 11.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists.
--Field Level Media
Source: “AOL Sports”
