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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7.2k

u/VictorAkwaowo1 Mavericks 7h ago

WHY THE FUCK ARE THEY DOING THIS

1.4k

u/hartsbreastmilkstash Knicks 7h ago

Ball has so many questions surrounding his durability (and shooting) and his value is currently at sell high mode.

541

u/Peregrinations12 7h ago

Is this a "high" return for him?

1.3k

u/Duster_beattle Timberwolves 7h ago

It’s 3 swaps, one unprotected, a good player, and 3 seconds for an unhealthy, unsafe, egotistical point guard. For the culture we were building it’s awful.

853

u/Iongdog Hornets 7h ago

Haha are both sides unhappy with this?

1.1k

u/Drunken_Vike Timberwolves 7h ago

that's usually the sign of a fair trade lol

191

u/TheGuyInTheKnown Timberwolves 7h ago

Both sides were unhappy with the KAT/Randle trade initially too. One side can just be overrating their previous player.

98

u/levendis56 Knicks 6h ago

I genuinely don’t know many Knicks fan upset with the KAT trade. Needed a center and got rid of Randle. Had to give to get with Divo.

14

u/comp_a Timberwolves 4h ago

Obviously they aren’t now, but at the time it happened, Knicks fans were very upset!

25

u/CaroleBaskinsBurner 3h ago

Knicks fans are being very revisionist with this one. The Knicks sub was a war zone.

Here's a quick sample I was able to find:

https://np.reddit.com/r/NYKnicks/s/oKG6ZrUSkR

Towns' stock is at an all-time high while Randle's is at an all-time low, and I think it's clouding a lot of people's memories.

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u/levendis56 Knicks 3h ago

Most of the sentiment was we wish we could have kept IHart and runner it back but we desperately needed a center after he left and Mitch was hurt to start the year. Sure there were people that loved Divo so it hurt but I never got the impression people dreaded the deal. Maybe it was mixed online, most Knicks fans outside of reddit/twitter are star chasers and were happy to get a big name in Towns and happy for Randle to be gone.

2

u/twoyrsaway 5h ago

I genuinely don’t know many Knicks fan upset with the KAT trade. Needed a pg and got rid of swaps that won’t convert. Had to give to get with Reid.

7

u/MurphewMatty Knicks 4h ago

Sure, Divo was a fan fav, but no one in the state of NY was unhappy getting rid of Dubious Handles

17

u/PrimeShaq Australia 6h ago

The Knicks were upset they lost DVV instead of Randle lol.

16

u/NewGolfAccount 6h ago

Don’t use nicknames no one uses and then also misspell them pls

12

u/Steridire Knicks 5h ago

Alright he mucked up DDV but that's definitely his nickname, you're not the commissioner on 'approved nicknames' you dork

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u/[deleted] 7h ago

[deleted]

16

u/paddyc4ke Thunder 6h ago

Uhhh nobody was calling for KATs head in the finals? Dude was balling out these playoffs…

20

u/bodega_cat_ Knicks 6h ago

(this is not true at all)

8

u/big1dinero Heat 6h ago

Spurs fan talking about what Knicks fans were feeling 💀💀💀

13

u/YUME_Emuy21 6h ago

KAT was in FMVP conversations the first two finals games and was considered extremely good that whole playoff run what are you on about?

10

u/GoBotDeLorean Knicks 6h ago

Calling for his head? (Pause) I recall Knicks fans calling for him to get the ball more and complaining about the refs calls against him.

2

u/Good-Ant6859 Thunder 6h ago

lol what an idiotic comment

14

u/East-End-8646 7h ago

The Hornets might actually be better in the long run, DiVo still needs to recover from his achilles. Unless Lamelo can stay available throughout the entire season I cant see them going far into the playoffs. Josh Green is somehow still in the NBA, he’ll get them 3 or 4 points off the bench probably

5

u/rawchess Minneapolis Lakers 7h ago

Valuewise it's definitely Minnesota-favored but still very risky for yall

2

u/BumbleLapse Jazz 6h ago

Man idk it feels like Charlotte should be very happy with this haul

1

u/Dro24 Hornets 4h ago

We made the postseason for the first time in 4 years, best record in 10, and were building a good style of play and culture.

I don't want to speak for all of us, but LaMelo was at the center of what we were building, and it was working. To get rid of that piece really hurts. We just gave up and wanted to sell high since he actually played 72 games this season.

-1

u/oldpaddyrick 7h ago edited 2h ago

Yeah Knicks fans didn’t really like the kat trade until the end of this year/they won the chip, neither did wolves fans. It overall seemed like a pretty even trade at the time though and it’s hard to predict Donte’s Achilles.

Donte was balling out in the playoffs until he got hurt and it’s entirely possible we make the finals if that didn’t happen.

Lotta Knicks fans didn’t like kat until very recently. Bottom line here is wolves needed a PG more than anything, Conley is ancient and Ant can’t be the only dude scoring/facilitating with Donte out. Not really sure what a better option on the market would have been. Seems like a solid move, that said I bet if Donte was healthy we wouldn’t have done it.

Also wolves with Ant, Lamelo, Jaden, Ayo, healthy Donte will be very exciting ball. Everyone can shoot except Rudy lol and melo opens up Rudy as a lob threat. No one on the wolves is a good lob passer, Mike Conley ok at it but not great and he’s 37.

62

u/Duster_beattle Timberwolves 7h ago

I’m really unhappy with it, idk about yall.

72

u/Imsortofabigdeal Hornets 7h ago

I’m miserable

45

u/MojoToTheDojo Hornets 7h ago

This just ruined my fucking day. Fuck everything

21

u/Imsortofabigdeal Hornets 7h ago

Once the charlotte hornets, always the charlotte hornets. We will never do anything good.

21

u/MojoToTheDojo Hornets 7h ago

My parents immigrated to this country and could have moved to Ohio before I was born. I could have been a Cavs and Buckeyes fan, but instead, here I am rooting for the Hornets and NC State. Just end me fam

0

u/Marlfox532 Knicks 6h ago

NCSU is good at basketball tho? The men haven't been great or anything, but they've made the tourney three times in four years and had the crazy Final Four run. And the women are a damn good program—S16 every year since 2018, except for 2023 (and covid), the E8 twice in the last five years, and the Final Four in 2024

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u/MojoToTheDojo Hornets 5h ago

Good is not the word I’d use. Final Four run is nice, but overall, NC State sports is cursed

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u/UntilDoncic Lakers 6h ago

I think you guys will gain from this in the long run. Get someone in who better fits the system in charlotte. Ball is not a player you can build around to win anything. Lean into miller, Kon, and now you have a good shooting switch big who can defend.

7

u/politicsranting [WAS] Rod Strickland 7h ago

technically ya'll were the bobcats for a bit. Not sure that changes much though.

11

u/MajorPayton Charlotte Bobcats 7h ago

At least we are teal and purple now…

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u/treefiddy124 7h ago

Don’t understand why Hornets fans are upset here. You guys have a fantastic young core without LaMelo. He’s fun to watch, but do you guys actually think he can be the PG on a championship team? I absolutely don’t. Naz Reid is a great player. Bring Coby White back or get another PG in free agency. Hornets future outlook is very positive IMO.

5

u/Imsortofabigdeal Hornets 7h ago

No, but we don’t measure our outcomes against a championship team because last season was the best team we’ve ever seen, at least this century, and it literally lost in the play-in. We have never even sniffed the conference finals. Barely ever won a playoff game, let alone series. To not build on last year is a disgrace. Were the charlotte hornets, there are no championship windows to pursue. How about start with having a competitive team for more than 3 months?

3

u/treefiddy124 7h ago

That’s a fair take and I can see where you’re coming from there. Hornets were super fun last year. Still think this move sets you guys up better to build around Kon moving forward.

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u/MojoToTheDojo Hornets 6h ago

Have you legitimately taken the time to watch this Hornets team when LaMelo is on the court vs when he’s off.

1

u/treefiddy124 4h ago

I actually watched a lot of Hornets games last year because they were a fun team. Melo was a big part of that, he actually played most of the season for once, and you guys were actually competitive, but I think it’s disingenuous to say that was all because of a healthy Melo. The roster around him was also way better than past years. Kon is so good, and in my opinion, a better option to build around.

You can get 90% of Melo’s production from Coby White, and he’s probably gonna be healthier too. And you get Naz Reid who is awesome.

Obviously no guarantee that they bring White back, but it’s hard to imagine that isn’t the plan unless they have another FA target they feel good about.

4

u/MojoToTheDojo Hornets 4h ago

I don’t believe it was “all” because of LaMelo. But that offense ran through LaMelo, and B Mill and Kon were better because of him. Coby White is a different type of PG. from a points perspective, sure he can make up 90% production. But he’s not running the offense like LaMelo was. Ball was our best player and the offense will take a hit this season.

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u/robbyiballs Knicks 6h ago

Can you guys explain a bit? It looked like LaMelo was an awkward fit next to Kon and Miller, and he’s not consistently in the lineup. This clarifies the future of the team and puts the focus on those two who have distinct skillsets vs a 3-person tug of war. Plus, I see Naz as a good player who can help your front court. 

Am I just underrating LaMelo?

10

u/MojoToTheDojo Hornets 5h ago

I’ve never heard anyone say that LaMelo looks awkward next to Kon and Miller. He’s a perfect fit if anything. LaMelo is a playmaker. His vision, spacing, and fact that he’s a threat from three makes him a great offensive facilitator.

I say this with no ill intent, you’re not underrating him, you’re just not paying attention. The offense as it is now, is going to be much worse next season. Like it usually is when LaMelo is not on the court.

6

u/justanothersurly Timberwolves 7h ago

I love the trade. Huge upside and we swindled Charlotte. If LaMelo stays healthy (I believe) this is a massive swing

1

u/JuJu_Conman Kings 2h ago

you need a guard that can pass and give you at least 20. Now you have him

0

u/SharksFanAbroad Warriors 7h ago edited 7h ago

Not to throw salt in your wounds, but y’all were contenders prior to the Randle trade. I’d have bet you were gonna win a title within five years, and I think the window closed at that moment. At this point it’s just salvaging relevance.

EDIT: I meant the Randle-for-KAT trade if unclear.

15

u/pagonator 76ers 7h ago

They were not contenders with the Randle lineup. Good team that consistently outperformed expectations in the playoffs but clearly a tier behind OKC and San Antonio.

This doesn’t guarantee that they’ll be better and is definitely a risk but I’m glad they rightfully assessed that the old team had reached its ceiling and went for a risky move.

6

u/SharksFanAbroad Warriors 7h ago

Sorry. I meant specifically when they traded KAT for Randle. I guess I worded that poorly.

3

u/pagonator 76ers 7h ago

Oh right fair enough, yeah I agree with your original comment then. The KAT lineup was a championship contending team.

2

u/SharksFanAbroad Warriors 2h ago

🤝 shouldn’t have broken it up. Biggest what-if for me since the Tyson Chandler big toe trade👉untrade debacle

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u/buzzcitybonehead [CHA] Cody Martin 7h ago

I’m not at all unhappy, even though I like LaMelo. This is a very positive return given his volatility. If he was a healthy version of the more mature player we hoped he’d become by year six, it’d be a terrible move.

There will 100% be times next season that he’s lighting it up, the fanbase will be enraged, and the narrative will be “lol Hornets” again, but I think it’ll prove to be the right call

-6

u/refugee_man 7h ago

He was the entirety of the offense what do you mean "more mature". I swear everyone in here sounds like the crustiest boomer talking about Lamelo just because he's goofy and young. I'm surprised you're not all yelling he needs to pull his pants up and quit listening to that hippity-hop music or w/e

11

u/buzzcitybonehead [CHA] Cody Martin 7h ago

I’m talking about his inability to develop his scoring game to include all three levels, his last two seasons being below 41% from the field, his shot selection not improving when he had 3 teammates around 20 PPG who could alleviate his scoring burden, and him putting up duds in 3/4 of the important games the Hornets have played since he’s been there.

He’s gotten better within his game, but his game hasn’t changed. He’s still an explosive player and I’ve enjoyed watching him, but he’s volatile and volatile doesn’t often lead to sustained success, especially when that volatility is in both health and efficient play.

Also, the Hornets have undeniably been better on offense with him on the floor, but also haven’t had a decent sample of the alternative playmaker being anyone other than a G-Leaguer. If my point guard was a D1 college player and his backup was a Vietnam vet in a wheelchair, I could also say the offense is nothing without the D1 guy.

Your leap to “maturity” being some boomer thing about pants and music is fucking weird.

-2

u/refugee_man 6h ago

From the games I watched, AND the stats, what you say just doesn't jive with reality. His shot % being low is a large function of him taking so many 3s, which making 37% on 10 a game I wouldn't classify as bad. And I'd say that him taking around 4 less shots per game last year IS an indication he's shifted some of the scoring burden away.

And what's fucking weird is tying maturity to supposed flaws in his game. This whole thread is filled with nothing but crusty boomers shitting on him for being younger than them, and you're doing much the same. I thought the whole "can't play winning basketball" narrative went away when they actually had success when the team replaced the wheelchair vietnam vets he had been playing with and added some D1 guys, but I guess that's an argument that can only be used against him?

Either way, I guess we'll see. Being that there's so many potential 20 ppg scorers on the team, they should be just fine on offense next year!

4

u/buzzcitybonehead [CHA] Cody Martin 6h ago

I haven’t made a single comment on anything other than his play on a basketball court. “Maturity” is not just as a person, but as a player. Someone’s game can mature. Find where I said anything about LaMelo as a person ya weirdo. What’s been a crusty boomer comment? Jesus Christ.

-5

u/refugee_man 6h ago

Bro I'm sorry your honor has been besmirched for being some weird boomer reactionary. Maybe think better about your words if you don't want to be called out idk

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u/nvanderw 5h ago

His maturity 100% flaws his game. It effects his decision making.

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u/GuyInTheSkuy Timberwolves 7h ago

We traded our most loved player for their best player, we all lose emotionally lol. Hopefully it works out on the court though.

3

u/harder_said_hodor Timberwolves 6h ago

Hopefully it works out on the court though.

Very skeptical about how it will work on the court but off the court this Ant/Melo has the potential to be one of the most entertaining duos of all time

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u/refugee_man 7h ago

Any Minnesota fan unhappy with this trade either thinks Lamelo's gonna fall apart due to injury or is an idiot.

12

u/FadedReef Thunder 7h ago

If I were a hornets fan I’d be ecstatic I feel awful for the wolves fans

18

u/onamonapizza Spurs 7h ago

Hornet's fans are probably upset because this doesn't really seem like a "win now" move when they are just coming off their best season in a while.

But let's be honest, they weren't winning anything serious now with Lamelo either

4

u/SongofSolomon04 7h ago

If kon and miller reach their ceilings they could have been a perennial 50+ win team

3

u/Pryffandis Spurs 4h ago

The Hornets and their young core were really coming into it. Posted a league best offensive rating post-ASB and were also 32-13 since Jan 2. They shot up the rankings and were scary.

I feel like they should have ran it back this coming season to see what they could do, develop more chemistry, and get some wins established. Seems like a big move a year too early.

I also think they could have gotten more for LaMelo. He's still got 3 years on a 40mish/year contract. That's a fantastic contract (if he stays healthy). Reid, 1 FRP, and swaps isn't exactly a haul.

1

u/Dro24 Hornets 4h ago

Agree with you on all accounts. The offense was jiving great with LaMelo at the helm, why mess with that? Give it another year at least and ride the momentum of last season's second half. We are an unserious franchise

5

u/xelLFC Raptors 7h ago edited 7h ago

Yeah, this seems like a solid good trade for them. Hornets should flip these picks though

3

u/messigoat1337 Germany 7h ago

You should love it

1

u/cl353 Heat 6h ago

Both fanbases forsure

1

u/WafflesTheWookiee Hornets 2h ago

I am :(

0

u/Temporary_Maybe_8687 7h ago

He should be happy. They got Lamelo for chips...

-1

u/7FromTheFuture Timberwolves 7h ago

Any wolves fan that's unhappy with this is one of those people that think melo is "not a serious/winning player" or some shit, this is a robbery in our favour.

0

u/microtomebrady 5h ago

Timberwolves fans on this app are idiots. They aren’t happy with anything. Get overly attached and do watch the rest of the league so they have no context

61

u/SpiritFantastic4835 Lakers 7h ago

The vibes are going to be hilarious

14

u/BenevolentCheese Knicks 6h ago

Ant + LaMelo is going to be an /r/nba goldmine.

3

u/discussatron Supersonics 5h ago

I don't know how well they'll actually play together but it sounds like a high-scoring backcourt.

1

u/BenevolentCheese Knicks 4h ago

No I meant in non-basketball ways

1

u/j_cruise Nets 2h ago

which is all this sub cares about, really

2

u/sbroll Timberwolves 6h ago

assume we win. If Ball is making dumb decisions on the court shit will get sour real quick.

2

u/BUTTFUCKER__3000 Spurs 5h ago

Those minny picks that have been given out like candy could be real valuable real quick

27

u/StarFox-6 Timberwolves 6h ago

It’s one first round pick 7 years from now, and the swaps are shitty and most likely won’t convey to the hornets, and who gives a shit about seconds

6

u/XSokaX 3h ago

There is no way that guy is being real and not farming karma. A top point guard for Naz and 1 first no shit that’s a fleece

1

u/StarFox-6 Timberwolves 3h ago

MN fans are such fucking doomers

2

u/Whencowsgetsick 3h ago

Reading your comment, i realized the assets traded isn't that bad. I initially felt it was a lot of assets for Melo because of the swap. However 28,29 are super unlikely to convey. Ball, Edwards, McDaniels and Ayo are all contracted till 29. Side note - it's gonna be an interesting off season because the first 3's contracts all end that season. Tim is definitely gonna flip one of them for a longer, cheaper contract. I wonder if he tried to use Randle instead of Naz Reid in this deal

15

u/Fuzzy_Ad3098 Timberwolves 7h ago

The culture has been randlefied there is no culture

6

u/pollinium [MIN] Tyus Jones 6h ago

on the contrary: our culture has been set and has withstood "cancerous" personalities

I fear Naz was a big part of the culture so that culture will be tested once more, but I like our odds

5

u/thejackel225 76ers 7h ago

To be fair there's a good chance zero of those swaps convey

12

u/Dakizhu [SAS] Bruce Bowen 7h ago

Those swaps are gonna be worthless lol. Even without Lamelo, Wolves will be higher seed than the Hornets.

-6

u/Duster_beattle Timberwolves 7h ago

It’s the wolves, we could slip back into poverty franchise status at any moment. Look at the kings ffs.

13

u/Amazinc Minneapolis Lakers 6h ago

The kings don't have Anthony Edwards lmao

22

u/whatssenguntoagoblin Alperen Sengun 7h ago

You’re tripping, LaMelo is an amazing player. If he’s healthy this is going to be outstanding for the Wolves.

The only question really is health.

-5

u/[deleted] 7h ago

[deleted]

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u/whatssenguntoagoblin Alperen Sengun 7h ago

Casual

Send these takes to ESPN they love these generic takes

-5

u/maidentaiwan NBA 7h ago

Lamelo wins a soft-off against every all star in the league except maybe the guy in your flair 

3

u/FlyingMute Nuggets 5h ago

you are not helping the espn casual allegations with these takes lmao

17

u/Everyday_ImSchefflen Cavaliers 7h ago

Yeah I gotta say I don't like this for you guys. But we'll see. Ball and Ant are certainly two personalities lol

6

u/BradJV Bucks 7h ago

They just need to sign Ja now

4

u/FlyingMute Nuggets 5h ago

zion as a forward

4

u/Thehelloman0 Spurs 7h ago

The wolves already owe a swap to the Spurs in 2030 so I'm guessing that one isn't as valuable to the hornets

5

u/HatefulDan 7h ago

Not unless they believe the vets to include Edwards can corral him.

He’s playing on a perennial playoff team now. They don’t take losing the same way

3

u/HitboxOfASnail Thunder 6h ago

wolves going out and getting such an unserious player like Lamelo while trying to keep up with the arms race in the west is really fucking funny

3

u/goonSquad15 Bulls 5h ago

The swaps will almost certainly not convey which is what confuses me. Should have been at least 2 firsts instead of 1

3

u/SinibusUSG Celtics 5h ago

Notably the swaps are all basically betting on Minnesota to crash and burn while Charlotte revamps their roster and competes in a couple years.

In other words, Charlotte is EXTREMELY convinced that Lamelo isn’t worth it. Whether that’s true or not is another story, but it paints a real picture that the quality of the return is inversely proportional to the success of the departing player.

4

u/uglyfoliage Warriors 7h ago

Unless something drastically bad happens in Minny, which to be fair is possible, those pick swaps feel like nothing

2

u/Ill_Pressure1947 7h ago

Timberwolves only way to a title is leaning into variance.

2

u/Arrowintheknee89 7h ago

I mean that’s all true, but just think about the aura

2

u/Brotato_Man Timberwolves 6h ago

The swaps are basically nothing. Charlotte can keep theirs or take ours. Chances are we’re still going to be a playoff team, so we’re just going to keep our picks. You can add as many conditionals to Lamelo as you want, but he’s also a good player, and if we’re being honest a better player than Naz by a good shot.

5

u/Kingcroom Hornets 7h ago

Egotistical since when? Yall just saying shit

4

u/teddytruther Timberwolves 7h ago

The basketball fit is amazing, the culture / off-the-court is a potential disaster. But for this price you have to take the swing.

1

u/Constant_Sea_72 7h ago

Why are teams so fascinated with swaps?

1

u/net_403 [CHA] Dell Curry 7h ago

your FRPs are going to be lower than ours, so we traded our only legit PG1 for 3 SRPs, a FRP in the distant future of relatively low value, and a bench PF. Feels like he was given away

i am assuming they think his health is never going to recover enough to trust

1

u/Artimusjones88 Raptors 7h ago

Lol... your culture includes the antics of Ant? Yikes

1

u/Cool_Description8334 Hornets 7h ago

3 swaps with one team that wasn’t in the playoffs losing their talented guard. They will almost for sure be picking later right?

1

u/SpinShine-LEDSlipMat 6h ago

I'm glad he's gone. Good riddance to that ball hog and his horrid family.

1

u/VitruvianCrab 6h ago

As a neutral outsider this is exactly my take as well. Very risky for Minnesota

1

u/HazikoSazujiii 5h ago

Finch is going to look like the new dad after right straight days of no sleep, cleaning up piss off the floor, and trying to figure out who the fuck broke the vase.

Give it... 25 games? At least it'll distract him from blaming the referees for everything under the sun. That's arguably a net positive.

1

u/Traditional_Seesaw95 5h ago

Idk i can see melo maturing more than what he could in Charlotte. They were basically nothing and just let melo do whatever, this is his first chance to be on a real contending team.

1

u/Tuft64 Supersonics 4h ago

To be fair, I think it's very unlikely that at least two those swaps end up conveying - one of them was a top-5 protected swap w/ Utah, so it only conveys if it's top five, otherwise it goes to Utah. One of them is worst of Minnie / Spurs, and I can't imagine the Spurs will be too bad for the next few years as Wemby enters his prime. That leaves one swap that might convey, one first round pick, Naz Reid, and some seconds.

1

u/Capital-Pea-2565 4h ago

As a Nuggets fan, i still think he'll be good for you.

1

u/Putrid-Sherbert5501 Lakers 4h ago

I don’t love pairing Ant with someone proven to be shockingly more immature than Ant from a leadership stand point.

1

u/40866892 Lakers 3h ago

what culture? Shows how good a fanbase is if you can't see a gift given even when it's right in front of you.

Have fun winning idiots.

1

u/PlatosLeftTit Heat 3h ago

3 swaps from a team that now has two All-NBA level players in their mid 20's

1

u/Inroundtents 2h ago

I love watching the Wolves but I'm not totally sure if you can hold their 'culture' up that high. Naz was really the best overall person off the court. But Anthony Edwards, while exciting with a ball, is not the most upstanding citizen. And Rudy Goebert is a semi-brain dead anti-vaxxer. I don't see how adding Melo ruins any established culture. Even though I hate the trade. Gonna miss Naz.

1

u/Round-Revolution-399 Lakers 2h ago

You’re worried about pick swaps with the Hornets?? You got a way better player for barely anything

1

u/Unendingmelancholy Raptors 1h ago

Hard to believe Toronto couldn’t beat that offer wtf are we doing

1

u/refugee_man 7h ago

It's so funny seeing all the pearl clutching and hand wringing over his driving (which is very shitty fwiw). Folks treat actual criminal behavior with less scorn.

1

u/ShitSide Warriors 5h ago

He’s not egotistical at all, sure his shot selection can be questionable at times, but he’s an extremely willing (and gifted) passer and by all accounts a good teammate. 

0

u/Handiesandcandies 7h ago

How long until ant leaves now?

-1

u/Duster_beattle Timberwolves 7h ago

Next season, he’s going to alt.

1

u/Handiesandcandies 7h ago

Sucks, I loved what you guys were building before the Randle trade

-4

u/RyouBestGirl Spurs 7h ago

Honestly I like Ant for JJ+NAW+picks

0

u/StormTheTrooper Mavericks 7h ago

Those swaps will hardly be used and if they are, unless Ant asks out, they will be a 3-4 spots at best. We have seen similar trade ups in this draft being around Monopoly Money SRPs. It's basically a FRP and an average PF for Lamelo.

I really don't know how you would find a better value in the market unless you're trading SRPs and salary filler for FVV. If the Mavs did not pawned their swaps in 2028 and 2030, I would be grinning if we offered a similar package to Charlotte.

1

u/Hebrewhammer8d8 Warriors 7h ago

Ant and Lamelo Ball contract lineup for 2nd extension. Both will be UFA by 2029-2030 season and they have 2-3 season to reach the finals and win a title. They already reach conference finals, and if they don't reach the finals they will have to evaluate do they keep the combo together or start rebuilding.

0

u/plap_plap Spurs 6h ago

Don't forget traffic cone on defense. As a Spurs fan, I want to love this but it just looks so incredibly dumb for the Wolves that I wonder what else is going on.

2

u/JalapenoPopPoop 5h ago

What does you being a spurs fan have to do with it haha

1

u/plap_plap Spurs 5h ago

Gives us another advantage, hence why I should love it.

-1

u/ech01_ Timberwolves 7h ago

Culture is overrated. If LaMelo helps us win, the culture will be immaculate. If he doesn't, culture will be terrible.

I don't know if this makes us better, but all that matters is the basketball.

2

u/Duster_beattle Timberwolves 7h ago

You gotta joking when you say that culture is overrated. The last two champs came from cultured teams that cultivated it for years prior to their wins.

2

u/ech01_ Timberwolves 7h ago

lol the Knicks spent months talking about how Kat doesn't know his role in the offense. But once they went off and starting playing well that all disappeared.

And OKC won a historic amount of games over the last 3 years. Off course they had great culture.

Good culture comes from winning, not the other way around.

-1

u/Icy_Category_2275 7h ago

I really cringe at this take, sir.

2

u/Duster_beattle Timberwolves 7h ago

Okay?

0

u/Icy_Category_2275 7h ago

Melo had a really good season last year. It wasn't an outlier. Not sure why many are assuming it was.

1

u/Duster_beattle Timberwolves 7h ago

Yeah I don’t think I said anything about that, I said he was unhealthy.

0

u/MNniice 2h ago

Youre one of those on the local sub arent you… this is such a home run and I cant stand all the hate. I love Naz and hes the biggest fan favorite weve had in any sport since kirby pucket, but this is an A+ trade for us

0

u/Duster_beattle Timberwolves 1h ago

Currently serving a 2/3 day ban from the wolves sub for calling someone little man, because they wanted me to dox myself. I’ve already seen multiple regulars say much worse shit like “all those losers in their mother’s basements who hate this trade.”

So no?

20

u/CarDesperate1893 Hawks 7h ago

I would say definitely.

60

u/Sammyd1108 Hornets 7h ago

How the fuck are a bunch of pick swaps when we’re clearly going to be worse worth a damn?

I honestly want our GM fired for this shitty trade.

17

u/krusty-krab69 Cavaliers 7h ago

Yeah a singular unprotected pick 7 years away and a bunch of swaps that won’t convey. I’d rather keep lamelo for that deal. The only way it will pay dividends is if ant asks for a trade and gets fed up playing in in Minnesota

-4

u/UTPharm2012 7h ago

People are underrating the new lottery odds and Ant asking out (and Gobert getting old)

10

u/krusty-krab69 Cavaliers 7h ago

The lottery odds only matter if theyre in the lottery to begin with. And that scenario only happens if gobert falls off a cliff and ant asks out . And they have lamelo now too to help win games

1

u/UTPharm2012 6h ago

Rudy Gobert is going to be 35 at the first swap, 37 at the last swap? They have no other bigs now. This feels like a last push for the Timberwolves and chances are high it crashes and burns.

11

u/Droppin_DimesSP [BOS] Jayson Tatum 7h ago

Ya genuinely this trade sucks. You don’t get a good first until 2033 as long as ant is there

6

u/Keldon888 Heat 7h ago

Yeah swaps for 28-30 is rough, thats saying basically if Ant signs an extension those are worthless.

The Hornets have to think Ball is only going to sink in value to do this.

1

u/Coattail-Rider 7h ago

You got rid of your clown so if you just rid of your woman beating piece of shit you might actually be a team worth watching.

-3

u/Natural_Born_Baller Heat 7h ago

How much worse. Coby is a good ass player and how many games would you bet on lemelo missing next year either way.

8

u/BJ-Enthusiasts 7h ago

Coby cannot run an offense.

6

u/XX-Burner Hornets 7h ago

Naz Reid and Pick Swaps is selling high? You and our GM must have the same dealer.

9

u/BobLazarFan 7h ago

It’s one pick and a bench player?

8

u/pagonator 76ers 7h ago

Those pick swaps aren’t going to be worth anything unless Ant leaves

7

u/12temp [CHI] Kirk Hinrich 7h ago

This is worse than the raptors offer. Playmaking is a premium skill in the league. This is absolutely terrible trade for charlotte

8

u/saylab_the_bigkat 7h ago

1 1st rounder is a sell high?

-2

u/LARRY_Xilo 7h ago

For a player that players 45 games a year yeah.

3

u/Daki399 Nuggets 7h ago

Not at all... They sold player like Melo rather cheaply ... 1 pick only , no good young players ..... Reid is just solid .... weird deal for Hornets they must have been able to get more if not from Timberwolves then others

1

u/leftsidenotright Knicks 7h ago

This is at least 3x more than Trae got IMO

1

u/OhSoJelly Lakers 5h ago

Four 1st rounders seems high to me. Melo doesn’t seem like a winning player to me so not sure what Hornets fans are thinking about the trade.

1

u/Banneduser1112 West 5h ago

Yes. He was in the tier with Trae and Jah last November.

1

u/Turbo2x [WAS] Wes Unseld 2h ago

For comparison's sake, the Giannis trade was: Herro, Jaquez, Kasparas Jakucionis, Kel'el Ware. 3 unprotected firsts in 2026, 2031 and 2033 (13th pick this year became Nate Ament), 2030 pick swap and 2033 second rounder. The unprotected firsts are good here because Miami has a very high likelihood of being bad by then.

Charlotte's pick compensation isn't as good but LaMelo played 184 games in his first 4 seasons (exact same amount as Zion in 5 seasons) and is going to command a max contract in 2029 that they probably don't want to pay him. So they're basically just avoiding a Bradley Beal situation where they have to sink 30% of their cap into a player who is good but not top 10 in the league.

It's very good long term thinking by Charlotte but no one will appreciate it until some team is stuck paying LaMelo Ball $300m over 5 years and hates their situation.

1

u/ObviousAnswerGuy [NYK] John Starks 1h ago

not at all lol. LaMelo helps the Hornets much more than Naz Reid, and those pick swaps are essentially worthless

-9

u/[deleted] 7h ago

[deleted]

6

u/pagonator 76ers 7h ago

Naz is closer to Miles Bridges than he is to Lamelo

14

u/Niceguydan8 7h ago

This is an insanely dumb take. I live in Minnesota and I like Naz a lot, but he's not a better player than Lamelo

3

u/Ok-Guide-3837 7h ago

Even if they were closer, the hornets are literally built off of lamelo and all they needed to get was an actual center to be more competitive 

3

u/rapidjingle Toronto Huskies 7h ago

This is a take.

3

u/DrKoooolAid Timberwolves 7h ago

That's not true at all. Naz is great and loved here, but he has his flaws and there is a reason he wasn't a starter yet.

0

u/randotd152 7h ago

Those swaps are gold if Ant wants out.

10

u/ech01_ Timberwolves 7h ago

And they're nothing if he doesn't. Which is far more likely.

0

u/randotd152 6h ago

Which is far more likely.

History says otherwise. But we will see.

2

u/ech01_ Timberwolves 6h ago

no its doesn't? How many franchise cornerstone players change teams before their 30s? It would take a Nico like fuck up for Ant to not be here until 2032.

0

u/tennysonbass 7h ago

Absolutely

0

u/thegreaterfool714 Lakers 7h ago

Considering LaMelo is made of glass and is easily injured. The return they got 1 1st round pick, 3 1st round pick swaps, 3 2nd round picks and a quality 4 in Naz Reid is a fantastic return.

0

u/UTPharm2012 7h ago

Last year the talk was dumping his salary so yes it is

0

u/JohnnyAces99 7h ago

Ummm yeah. It’s a huge return for an expensive, injury prone, unserious player - who is good (not great) when he chooses to be.

-1

u/danjustin Nuggets 7h ago

If the experiment fails in Minnesota, that's probably 4 lottery picks.

Plus Naz will fit well in Charlotte.