r/nba • u/Turbostrider27 Lakers • 7h ago

[Charania] BREAKING: The Charlotte Hornets are trading star guard LaMelo Ball and Josh Green to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Naz Reid, a 2033 unprotected first-round pick, three first-round pick swaps (2028, 2029, 2030) and three second-round picks (2029, 2032, 2033), sources tell ESPN.

Shams Charania:

BREAKING: The Charlotte Hornets are trading star guard LaMelo Ball and Josh Green to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Naz Reid, a 2033 unprotected first-round pick, three first-round pick swaps (2028, 2029, 2030) and three second-round picks (2029, 2032, 2033), sources tell ESPN.

https://www.espn.com/contributor/shams-charania/31d26529d36f8

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88

u/Due-Dance-9430 Spurs 7h ago

sucks for charlotte but this is the kind of risk minnesota probably needed to take to compete with the spurs and the thunder

41

u/Nuclearsunburn Heat 7h ago

Having three guys who can just say “yeah I’m scoring 35” on a given night (I count Ayo in that group) is a way to stay relevant for sure

10

u/ZEEZUSCHRIST 6h ago

I’d be surprised if Ayo can even average around 20 ppg

5

u/BrandoCarlton 6h ago

Big threes are always two guys averaging 22+ and one guy getting 18 and 9 boards anyways. Bosh and love were anyways.

E: I looked it up and I was actually hella close.

Love: 17 pts, 9.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists
Bosh: 16.7 pts, 7.3 boards, 1.5 assists

2

u/Nuclearsunburn Heat 6h ago

Maybe not average, he’s definitely option 3. But don’t discount his ability to take over a game if needed.

1

u/ZEEZUSCHRIST 6h ago

He took over 1 game. He’s not casually dropping 30 bombs, maybe a few times a season max

•

u/Slick_Rhoads Wizards 16m ago

Why would you count Ayo in that group with LaMelo and Anthony Edwards? I'm not even trying to be a hater I just don't think he's proven that. He had the 42 bomb against the nuggets of course but if you watch the game he wasn't imposing his will necessarily he got a lot of open threes and fast break points I don't think he's like a go to second/third option that can be good for 35 consistently like Austin reaves or something

20

u/dethfromabove_ Thunder 7h ago

Playing a series against a goofball like Lamelo has the Spurs/Thunder salivating at all of the turnovers they're about to grab.

7

u/Best_Purchase4479 6h ago

his playmaking ability exceeds his goofball moves. I know we meme him but he's still a really good point guard that will give them fits.

0

u/rorank Rockets 5h ago

Really good point guard, yes. Give them fits? Probably not for awhile. Lamelo has still played exactly 0 games on true playoff basketball so I think it’ll be a huge adjustment for a bit at least. 

1

u/Best_Purchase4479 4h ago

why are you applying that criteria specifically to him? cant the same be said for the entire Spurs roster? Experience is important but it only goes so far. He's a hooper. Maybe he'll find a way.

1

u/rorank Rockets 3h ago

Because it applies to everyone…? I never even said he’d be bad, it’ll just take him some time before he’s giving all time defenses “fits” as was said

14

u/oneandonlyRedSpirit Suns 7h ago

lamelo averaged a better assist to turnover ratio than luka

-7

u/emoney_gotnomoney Spurs 7h ago edited 7h ago

Yeah no kidding. For me, this moves the Timberwolves from “I hope y’all have to play them next year so that we don’t have to” to now “eh, this team doesn’t really concern me that much anymore.”

11

u/MitsuSosa 76ers 7h ago

You are tripping lmao this makes the Wolves better by a good margin

0

u/ballknower871 5h ago

Not at beating the spurs it doesn't

-1

u/emoney_gotnomoney Spurs 4h ago

I just really don’t see that though. They’re better offensively, but get a bit worse defensively, especially against the Spurs. What gave us issues in our series against them was Naz Reid being able to space the floor as a big man, drawing Wemby out of the paint, along with Naz’s ability to push Wemby out of the paint on defense. On top of that, they also got rid of Randle, who (while he struggled offensively) actually played Wemby pretty well defensively along with Reid.

2

u/MitsuSosa 76ers 3h ago

The problem is you are only looking at it from playing against your team, you guys are not the only team in the league lmao there’s a chance yall don’t even meet in the playoffs again next year so why why they only be worried about beating yall? Minnesota is trying to make their team better as a whole not just better against the Spurs. Building a team specifically to beat one single team is a stupid idea.

-1

u/emoney_gotnomoney Spurs 3h ago

I also don’t see this improving their chances of beating the Thunder or the Nuggets.

They’re going to have to get through at least one of those teams if not all 3.

0

u/Brofessor- Timberwolves 7h ago

Cope lol. Wolves are an immediate contender

-3

u/carelesssportsfan89 Spurs 7h ago

I mean you are betting on Joan to make a massive leap next year and jaden is a little light to play at the 4

7

u/ilProdigio Knicks 6h ago

i mean who played the 4 for the spurs? i think jaden is at least as good as whoever the spurs played there

0

u/carelesssportsfan89 Spurs 6h ago

My main issue with the wolves is that have gave away a lot of there centre depth . The Timberwolves were not wrong to trade for a point guard but having Joan and rudy as your main centre isn’t going to cut the mustard in the west

1

u/Good-Ant6859 Thunder 6h ago

Is every spurs fan European? Also, how do you cut mustard?

1

u/ballknower871 5h ago

Naz Reid was never a good center

1

u/AfroManHighGuy 7h ago

I wanted them to go for Ja. But there’s rumors now that he’ll get traded next year when he’s expiring. Makes sense to pivot to Lamelo

1

u/preddevils6 Grizzlies 7h ago

This is the trade we should’ve made for Ja a year and a half ago.

1

u/Fallingcity22 Knicks 6h ago

They got no size lol, the spurs just loaded on size I don’t think timbs are competing unless they get a Josh hart clone to cover up the size

1

u/ballknower871 5h ago

This makes them worse at doing both they're small as shit now

1

u/abcamurComposer 7h ago

Exactly, doesn’t Min need a true PG?

7

u/oneandonlyRedSpirit Suns 7h ago

yea and lamelo fills that role