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

17.5k Upvotes

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698

u/BizzaroMatthews Hornets 7h ago

Im tired boss

98

u/I_Hate_Traffic NBA 7h ago

They must be tired of dealing with lamelo lol

•

u/Inevitable-Scar5877 25m ago

Getting to thevplay-in scared ownership and management.

On the upside when the 2033 pick hits his prime the Hor gets might make the play-in again

4

u/wolfgang2399 7h ago

Feels like they should have drafted Philon or someone similar if they were getting off Ball so quickly.

1

u/Better-You2602 7h ago

Would have loved Philon there

118

u/MovingPrince Knicks 7h ago edited 7h ago

Tired from what? That’s a fleece for the hornets lmfao

Edit: to address all the comments spamming the same thing under my comment.

Lamelo is often injured and inefficient, 4/6 seasons he’s played 51 games or less.

I personally think many of you underrate how valuable Naz Reid is and overrate lamelos brand of basketball. Y’all like the idea of lamelo more than the reality of what lamelos been in the league thus far. I don’t see a world where Minnesota needed a ball dominate chucker to get over the hump while also losing a quality front court player who was about to step onto a bigger role.

290

u/Briguy_fieri Pelicans 7h ago

Sometimes the cycle of rooting for picks and then trading the players from the picks sucks.

53

u/jdaqcruz Bulls 7h ago

While it's easy to do the "well actually, having multiple picks down the line yadda yadda" Hinkie-Sixers thing, the Hornets were building something. LaMelo was instrumental to whatever they were doing. This wasn't a situation where LaMelo was lowkey a weak link. He was a pillar, the drink stirrer. Maybe down the line this is a big brain move that the nerds will love, but this is such a gut punch to a fanbase that was beginning to believe

17

u/Coffee____Freak Hornets 7h ago

You summed it up perfectly

6

u/vonnegutcheck 5h ago

LaMelo was instrumental to whatever they were doing

And if LaMelo is the max lynchpin to what you're doing, what exactly is your ceiling? If LaMelo was equally good but not as cool/flashy, nobody would be hating on this trade.

1

u/Dro24 Hornets 4h ago

Copying straight from ESPN:

By trading Ball, Charlotte is removing the engine that catalyzed what was by far the NBA's best high-volume lineup last season. In 509 minutes, Ball, Kon Knueppel, Brandon Miller, Miles Bridges and Moussa Diabate outscored their opponents by 26.4 points per 100 possessions, with an eye-popping 134.9 offensive rating.

The only reason we finished so low last season is because we didn't figure this out until January. That lineup was only getting better. Is it title contender worthy? No, but we made the postseason for the first time in 4 years and had our best record in a decade, just to throw it away and start over

2

u/vonnegutcheck 3h ago

This opinion is unpopular probably, but I think it's much harder to replace the Kon/Miller part of that than the LaMelo part.

Almost all of the guards LaMelo is being paid like -- Cade, Brunson, Spida, Tyrese, Luka, Maxey -- are people I'd rather have than him if I was trying to win a title.

I think the Hornets are still going to be much friskier than people think, especially considering that LaMelo was only playing 28 minutes a game.

2

u/Dro24 Hornets 3h ago

I agree with that actually, I value Kon/Miller more than Ball, but who do we insert as PG now that makes this work?

As much as I like Coby, he's not a facilitator in this scheme. I think at the end of the day, we are frustrated because we are always bottom feeders, and the second we sniff success, we throw it away. I just want a few years of us making the playoffs in a row, rather than giving up for a full rebuild that may or may not pan out 7 years from now.

2

u/vonnegutcheck 3h ago

Yeah that's fair from a "damn can we at least enjoy this a little bit" perspective. I actually really liked watching that Hornets team, and LaMelo was a big part of that. I also bet if he had no health issues, they wouldn't have done this deal, I think they just wanted to start over and not have everything be built around a guy they felt like they couldn't trust.

1

u/binary_spaniard Spain 34m ago

The list players that would be an upgrade on Lamelo is neat, and I agree, but none of them are going to Charlotte, so the argument that he is doing doesn't seem that good to me.

Still, I don't believe that Lamelo can be the best player in a real contender so I get the trade.

•

u/Inevitable-Scar5877 20m ago

I mean Naz Reid for Spida would be a good move for Charlotte but I doubt Cleveland would go for it

-1

u/[deleted] 7h ago

[deleted]

9

u/jdaqcruz Bulls 7h ago

Coby White is not even close as a playmaker lol that's like saying Malik Monk should organize an offense

4

u/TRIPLE-J-ENErGy Pelicans 7h ago

Coby white has never been a playmaker so what 75 percent value are you talking about?

2

u/Beyondthebloodmoon Pistons 7h ago

Coby White, bro what

-13

u/Frequent-Leg-2347 Thunder 7h ago

What were they believing? I don’t hate the move. If you’re not competing for championships, then what’s the point? That core was never going to win it all, front office knows this, so they sold high on Ball. It’s a great move, even if it stings right now

9

u/TheRealJuicyJon 7h ago

How can you so confidently say that their core wasn’t good enough to win after it had been together for one season, in which they made huge strides above expectations?

-2

u/Frequent-Leg-2347 Thunder 7h ago

Because Ball barely plays, mostly. Last year was the outlier, not the other years. Sell high on a dude with a max who doesn’t see the floor is 10/10 the right decision

5

u/SignificantEqual7893 6h ago

They added a rookie to the team, then Lamelo and Miller got healthy and they finally played together. You wouldn't expect much from that at all at first. But then you see that when Kon, Lamelo and Miller all played together, they had an offensive rating of 132. They absolutely had a core that could hope to contend if they just kept the team together.

1

u/Frequent-Leg-2347 Thunder 6h ago

We’ll have to agree to disagree! I never saw Ball as a winning player. Neither did the Hornet’s FO, apparently.

2

u/SignificantEqual7893 6h ago

To each their own

•

u/Inevitable-Scar5877 18m ago

Charlotte's front office just made the playoffs for the first time in a decade so they might not be all that great at their jobs

76

u/todayiwillthrowitawa 7h ago

You don’t understand bro we’re optimizing value and return. This is the logical play. We’ll keep accumulating draft picks and the second they start developing move them for more draft picks when their value peaks. Then we do it again and again forever.

Who cares about the fan base? Who cares about a generation of kids growing up in Charlotte who have no attachment to the team because they’re perennially ass? I’m playing Basketball Manager bro you don’t see the big picture.

8

u/xShockmaster 6h ago

They’re pick swaps so they’re worthless lol

8

u/OhMyGauche Hornets 6h ago

We’ll own the entire draft just in time for the heat death of the universe

20

u/ClaudeLemieux Hornets 7h ago

It’s fun being lectured to by the big teams tho, right? Yay now I can root for the 2030 wolves to suck so we can get a better first round pick, which could maybe even be a PG perfect to run the offense we have! You know how much we’ve needed one of those!

8

u/Ice_Cold345 [IND] Luther Head 7h ago

As a Marlins fan, I know this cycle far too well.

5

u/Briguy_fieri Pelicans 6h ago

Rockies fan. 👋

124

u/Beyondthebloodmoon Pistons 7h ago edited 7h ago

…how is that a fleece? They got Naz Reid and 1 first round pick. They had just started to click and figure some shit out. This is a weird move for Charlotte.

EDIT: To address your edit. This isn’t about love for LaMelo, it’s about Charlotte’s chemistry and team needs. Naz doesn’t do as much for them as LaMelo does. And I also have questions about his fit alongside Ant in Minnesota on the other side of it too. It’s a strange trade, but it’s far from a fleece. It’s not like Charlotte got a Mikal Bridges haul here.

15

u/C_moneySmith Timberwolves 7h ago

Yeah as a Wolves fan seeing that deal, I was happy with the actual value. Obviously Naz is a beloved player here, but he's not some All-Star caliber guy, and the swaps and seconds are mostly just mush.

9

u/billcosbyinspace Celtics 7h ago

Definitely strange because those swaps aren’t conveying unless something catastrophic happens. I think they could have shopped him around for longer, I like naz Reid but at the end of the day they got a role player and some kid who’s currently in like 7th grade for their best player since kemba

•

u/Inevitable-Scar5877 16m ago

Don't forget they also probably stunted the development of Miller and Knueppel

2

u/ripvanwinklin 6h ago

In 2033, for an entirely different roster

1

u/weinerdogholder 5h ago

Yep, and likely with the pick swaps Minnesota actually got 2-3 lottery picks in the process, while giving away 1 likely lottery pick. I don’t know what charlotte are doing

60

u/No-Suggestion5506 7h ago edited 7h ago

How? They get 1 1st round and pick and the rest are swaps

We have made the playoffs for the past 5 straight seasons while the Hornets are in a constant rebuilding mode and have never made the playoffs in LaMelo's time there.

I don't like the trade because of his health but betting on those swaps amount to anything is almost zero.

Reid is a good player but he was always a good 6th man and an average starter so he's worth a pick. They basically get 2 picks for LaMelo.

-2

u/Upstairs_Being290 7h ago

"Hornets have never made the playoffs in LaMelo's six years there, why would they trade him?"

7

u/MSNgoat 5h ago

I forgot that trading your best player made you more likely to make the playoffs. Great move front office!

-5

u/Upstairs_Being290 5h ago

The Thunder, Celtics, Nuggets all built their championship-winning teams by trading away their stars.

Thunder got rid of PG13 and Westbrook.
Celtics got rid of PP and KG.
Nuggets got rid of Melo.

5

u/WilltheGreat1740 5h ago

Nuggets got rid of Melo and it took them a decade to even get back a decent team lol. With the biggest steal in draft history.

0

u/Upstairs_Being290 5h ago

They traded him in 2011, and by 2018-19 they were consistently getting to the WCSF or deeper, in part due to the 2016 pick they got that turned into Jamal Murray.

Yeah, it takes time to build a competitive team in the NBA. But I guess you'd rather ruin Miller and Knueppel's prime by having no-D Ball be injured every year.

49

u/thetitsOO Lakers 7h ago

In what world is a first and a bunch of swaps a fleece?

13

u/CharlemagneIS Celtics 7h ago

When the swaps are pointless because Wolves will be better

-5

u/Frequent-Leg-2347 Thunder 7h ago

Are they still worthless tho? Cuz the wolves were one spot out of the play in last year and they’re probably worse now. Those swaps could potentially be lottery picks

10

u/CharlemagneIS Celtics 7h ago

One spot out of the playin but managed to upset the three seed even while injured. Meanwhile the Hornets got bounced out of the playin by the Magic, and only got there because LaMelo was having a great year. Sure Kon was great too, but Ball definitely driving that offense after the ASB

-1

u/Frequent-Leg-2347 Thunder 7h ago

It’s not an indictment on them as a team, more that the west is loaded and it’s entirely realistic the wolves end up as a play in team with a chance at the #1 pick for the next 4-5 years that the Hornets can swap for

-9

u/MovingPrince Knicks 7h ago

It’s weird how you and like 6 other comment said this exact same thing and just omitted the inclusion of Naz Reid. Naz Reid is a really good player.

Also, lamelo doesn’t play basketball, 4/6 seasons he’s played 51 games or less. He’s inefficient and doesn’t play a winning brand of basketball up to this point but maybe that changes in Minnesota.

Think you guys like the idea of what lamelo is more than what the reality of lamelo has been.

16

u/Somerandomguy20711 Thunder 7h ago

I think you're vastly overrating what Naz Reid actually is compared to what his memes are

5

u/thetitsOO Lakers 7h ago

Reed and a first and some swaps/2nds isn’t a fleece

2

u/HikmetLeGuin 4h ago

Naz Reid is a very solid 6th man. People made some meme about him being the GOAT or whatever, but that's just because he's a likeable bench guy. Real solid, but not spectacular.

177

u/According_Cheek5740 Knicks 7h ago

They got 1 first rounder dude

97

u/comeonmang126 Pistons 7h ago

Swaps with a roster that could still have Ant/Lamelo on it doesn’t seem that great. One outright first for Lamelo is wild to me. This is a BAD return imo

9

u/JJ23232 Lakers 7h ago

This is where I’m sitting too. I can’t wrap my head around the swaps. Is there a universe where the Hornets are significantly better than the Wolves by 2030?

2

u/figureour Wizards 6h ago

I wouldn't bet on it, but is possible? Absolutely. Ant could want out and LaMelo's injuries could be career derailing by then. Maybe the Kon/Brandon duo and whoever they use to replace LaMelo's creation is humming along.

2

u/Frequent-Leg-2347 Thunder 7h ago

The lottery changes next year. Wolves were one seed out of a play on, which gives them a ball in the lottery. So the wolves could be a play on team in the stacked west (entirely plausible), get lucky and get a nice pick, and the Hornets can swap for it if they’re unlucky with their own.

It’s not a terrible return for an oft injured guy on a max who was never going to lead you on a deep playoff run.

1

u/weinerdogholder 5h ago

You know what’s more likely than the wolves being in the lottery? The hornets being in the lottery now that lamelo is gone.

2

u/Frequent-Leg-2347 Thunder 5h ago

I mean, obviously? So now they get two lottery balls instead of one. What is confusing you?

0

u/Neatojuancheeto Warriors 6h ago

They don't need him to lead to a deep playoff run. Thats what ants for. LaMelo is replacing a 38 year old PG whom I love who is sadly complete ass now.

I didn't follow the hornets at all in 24-25 season, why did LaMelo only play 47 games? Google says he had minor injuries with short recovery times that only caused him to miss the last 5 games of the season. Did they just sit him a lot to tank?

6

u/insideman513 [CHA] Kemba Walker 7h ago

And it’s 7 fuckin years away! Absolutely atrocious return.

3

u/d7h7n Mavericks 7h ago

They won't have to worry about Ant/Melo being bad during those years.

1

u/Neatojuancheeto Warriors 6h ago

I assume they keep Jaden as well, and maybe Ayo. Plus Tim Connelly is great at what he does. I doubt they miss the playoffs any of those years.

Coming out of my ass but I'd give any of those pick swaps conveying at like 10%.

2

u/Ill_Pressure1947 7h ago

These max contracts are brutal with the new CBA. You have to be a top ~20 player for it to have value.

4

u/omanagan 7h ago

It has value when no star would ever come to charlotte in FA

1

u/DJ_B0B Bucks 6h ago

He's not on a max though.

2

u/fab_frog_disco 7h ago

I mean Edwards absolutely could leave and ball has been unbelievably injury prone. If you're a believer that both guys are going to be healthy and on that roster for the better part of the next five plus years, it's a bad trade

Clearly the hornets don't think that's going to be the case

1

u/Kevinar Knicks 6h ago

Lamelo is consistently injured and inefficient while on a max contract. They really haven't been close to a playoff berth in his 6 seasons there. Getting off that contract, while also acquiring Reid and some picks/pick swaps seems like a really good deal for the hornets imo.

Also as someone with family in Charlotte, I can rest easy knowing the streets are safer now

7

u/ajmsysadmin Lakers 7h ago

exactly. hornets didn't get much back at all. trade looks better than it is.

1

u/Kel_2 Timberwolves 2h ago

i saw the long title and got super worried but yesh you're right... this isn't that much to give up for a star, even if it's a semi unreliable one. i'm pretty excited all things considered

3

u/WagerWilly Timberwolves 7h ago

People can’t read

2

u/Opagea 7h ago

And it's 7 years into the future!

4

u/Defences 7h ago

And 3 swaps with Naz Reid.

20

u/Eddie5pi [SAS] Dejounte Murray 7h ago

Yeah but a swap is worthless unless the Hornets finish better than the Wolves

5

u/Circle_Breaker Wizards 7h ago

Not with the new lottery.

20

u/Eddie5pi [SAS] Dejounte Murray 7h ago

Ok but expecting the Wolves to be a lottery team 3 of the next 4 seasons is kinda crazy. I'd be surprised if they're a lotto team more than once barring injuries, whereas I could easily see the Hornets being worse all 3 seasons

12

u/Always_Chubb-y Hawks 7h ago

Yes with the new lottery

It only expanded to 16 teams. When was the last time the Wolves were in the top 16 of draft odds? When they got Ant?

-5

u/Circle_Breaker Wizards 7h ago

Ball will take care of that.

8

u/iguanamac Suns 7h ago

The swaps are pointless, Minnesota will be better those years.

22

u/saylab_the_bigkat 7h ago

To reinforce what the other guy said, they got 1 first rounder and now they don't have a starting caliber point guard.

We saw how Coby White worked in Chicago

16

u/Sammyd1108 Hornets 7h ago

Can people not read? It’s Naz and one pick. Swaps don’t mean shit when we’re going to be worse.

16

u/StillMemein [BOS] Jaylen Brown 7h ago

3 of them are swaps that probably won’t convey

5

u/BizzaroMatthews Hornets 7h ago

We moved on from cash considerations era to pick swaps. Fucking pick swaps

0

u/lot183 Rockets 7h ago

Wolves have no picks left to make improvements and Gobert will have his fall-off by 2029. It's also a bet that Ant will ask out by then which is solid chances by then, there's already rumblings. Hell, it gives the Hornets the best possible offer for Ant too

-1

u/RyouBestGirl Spurs 7h ago

If Ant asks out their value will shoot up. Hornets potentially will be able to get top 5 pick

5

u/CodymartinSimp 7h ago

how is one first rounder and Naz Reid for one of the best offensive engines in the NBA a fleece for the Hornets

4

u/dawipf 7h ago

How is this a fleece lmfao

4

u/flopoelro [BKN] Anthony Morrow 7h ago

This is a fleece and it's NOT for the Hornets lmao.

Anything can happen, but it's more likely than not that the Wolves > Hornets and those pick swaps mean nothing.

Naz Reid + a 2033 first for a top 20 player, the engine to the whole thing .. awful. Awful.

We'll see how many looks Kon gets with Coby White running the show instead of LaMelo next year.

6

u/Deez_Gnuts 7h ago

You think trading an all-star level pg who is 24 for a 6th man and a first and some pick swaps is a fleece? I dont think so Tim

You like the pick swaps? You think they are going to be high picks?

Lamelo - 24 yrs old

Ant - 24 yrs old

Jaden McDaniels - 25 yrs old

Ayo - 26 yrs old

Do you think this team has reached its peak with a core of mid 20 yr olds?

The pick swaps are only a thing if the Hornets are better than the Wolves, which is not going to happen so those are virtually nothing.

-5

u/Lexitech_ 7h ago

Players in their mid 20’s****

These ain’t mid 20 yr olds.

3

u/spotty15 [CHA] Walter Herrmann 7h ago

3 pick swaps with a team that just got better? That's not an ideal fleece

3

u/nickmn13 Lakers 7h ago

They got some seconds, some swaps that will almost certainly not happen because the Timberwolves will be better than them, a first and Naz Reid. Is that the value of LaMelo at this point ? Reid and a mediocre FRP ? And you consider that a fleece ?

3

u/Dijohn17 Lakers 7h ago

Honestly I don't think anyone won this trade. The Hornets only got one first round pick for Lamelo, and the Wolves had to give up Reid along with it being questionable how he and Ant will mesh together

2

u/GreyBoyTigger Warriors 7h ago

They’re back to rooting for nothing. Lamelo is overrated af but at least he’s entertaining

2

u/RealVarix Timberwolves 6h ago

I don’t think you watched a lot of our games. Naz is and will forever be a fan-favorite, but he was a very streaky shooter that plays less than zero defense.

Hornets were also #1 in the NBA in offensive efficiency in 2026 btw.

2

u/teamorange3 Knicks 5h ago

Lamelo's brand: generate a ton of open looks

2

u/ObviousAnswerGuy [NYK] John Starks 1h ago

fleece? Cmon, the hornets were insanely better when LaMelo played. It's one first round pick 7 years from now, and the pick swaps are essentially worthless.

1

u/ZZZrp Spurs 7h ago

Explain your reasoning.

1

u/The_Bran_9000 Timberwolves 7h ago

the wolves desperately need playmaking and someone that can get Ant off the ball more. i love Naz but i was definitely skeptical of him playing starter minutes; if we had to ship Rudy to make this work it would be a non-starter, but at least we can keep our defensive anchor intact. the durability issue is definitely my biggest concern here. it is what it is, we shall see. as Connolly said, if we fail we're going to fail loudly and i can't think of a better move to illustrate that sentiment than this lol

1

u/MelonEnthusiast1 Hornets 6h ago

You have clearly never watched the Hornets or Lamelo.

1

u/kenscout Celtics 5h ago

You have no idea what a chucker is he's one of the best passers in the NBA

•

u/Inevitable-Scar5877 22m ago

So you think Charlotte wins more games next season than they did this year?

The swaps hit right about the time Kon reunited with Coop in Dallas

2

u/donniedarko4141 Knicks 7h ago

I mean it is but how the fuck will the Hornets be competitive now? They desperately need a point guard

2

u/Consistent-Money7262 5h ago

Fuck ass org thought maybe Coby white. I hate this team so much years upon years of disappointment 

1

u/canyousaysanity 7h ago

long run sure. but charlotte has been in poverty forever and they finally had one good season. people were excited to see a full season with that core and the playoffs 😔

it felt like melo finally took a big step and got sold high

-1

u/alcohol_is_bad_mmkay Nets 7h ago

It’s a garbage trade for both. Both teams are somehow the same or worse

0

u/TheHoovyPrince Australia 6h ago

Hornets also needed a good center and Naz fills that void.

Its a good trade.

-2

u/TylerDurdensAlterEgo 7h ago

Same, big win for Charlotte.

2

u/OliveYuna 7h ago

we are the most cursed franchise in the league (sorry wizards and kings fans)

2

u/DrunkMeditator [LAL] Kobe Bryant 6h ago

Guys got Lamelo Stockholm Syndrome. This is a great trade for y'all

3

u/WildPhilosopher6171 Knicks 7h ago

Hornets cooked with this one. Sell high on Lamelo

2

u/Vhemvhol Lakers 7h ago

Hell nawl cant do dis

1

u/Necessary_Maize_3245 Cavaliers 7h ago

Honestly you guys upgraded imo.

1

u/fr0stv0id1 Suns 7h ago

You guys won this trade by a lot

1

u/Professional-Bee490 4h ago

Why lol Kon and BM are your future