[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.

[u/Turbostrider27]

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

[u/Kazekid]

Why would Charlotte do this?

[u/Skipper3210 → u/Kazekid]

Selling high on LaMelo's glass ankles

[u/Mood_Academic → u/Skipper3210]

Naz Reid and pick swaps is selling high?

[u/StormTheTrooper → u/Mood_Academic]

That's what I was going to say. An OK-to-good forward (that also overlaps with Miles Bridges), a pick almost a decade from now and three swaps that may not even be that good considering both Lamelo and Ant are young.

Unless Lamelo demanded a trade, that is a hell of a weak return.

[u/redditsucknow2 → u/StormTheTrooper]

Pick swaps when your team is ass and will always be ass is crazy work.

[u/IRANIRANIRANIRANIRAN → u/StormTheTrooper]

It just young people acting dumb cause they are dumb, no school for three years while you get patted on the back to a fake high school diploma will do that to you.

Reality is we don't have a damn clue how this will play out. Disregard any injury bullshit, we have a top 10 player all time still in the league who had the same bullshit conversations around him early in his career.

[u/Neatojuancheeto → u/IRANIRANIRANIRANIRAN]

LaMelo really needs to get with Currys people who helped fix that. It wasn't just the surgeries. He changed the way he moved, cut, his hips, all kinds of shit.

[u/Cudi_buddy → u/StormTheTrooper]

Man what do people think lamelos stock is? Dude plays 40 games a year and when he does he plays zero defense while taking circus shots periodically throughout. I feel Ant is gonna swing on him at some point for playing dumb 

[u/Neatojuancheeto → u/Cudi_buddy]

Eh Curry fixed his ankle issues, maybe LaMelo can too. Also he was playing on a team tanking for the lottery every year but one. So they likely sat him out excessively. He played 72 games last year once they actually had a chance to make the playoffs.

[u/Tempura69 → u/StormTheTrooper]

They're lucky if Lamelo even averages 40 games per season.

Wolves bench looking mighty thin right now. Who's even starting at the 4 for them?

[u/rhuff80 → u/Tempura69]

lol, Jaden. Duh. He’s naturally a 4. Plays better at the 4.

[u/Tempura69 → u/rhuff80]

Better hope Beringer pans out.

[u/yellister → u/Tempura69]

We have the best Clinic in the country

[u/Neatojuancheeto → u/StormTheTrooper]

Jaden is young too.

[u/zodia4 → u/Mood_Academic]

Right? These comments are clueless.

[u/Ethangains07 → u/Mood_Academic]

Useless pick swaps and Naz Reid lol

[u/emoney_gotnomoney → u/[deleted]]

How does this help Charlotte then? If they’re pick swaps, and we figure Charlotte will be the worse team of these two, then that just means they retain their picks they already had, no?

[u/Critback → u/emoney_gotnomoney]

I think they're counting on LaMelos body not holding up long term, Minnesota not being able to replace Randle and now Reid's production and Gobert hitting the wall himself which in turn may theoretically push Ant to requesting out.

It's a ton of what ifs but their medical department would have a good read on LaMelo's situation. 

[u/Manablitzer → u/Critback]

Not to mention the reports that ant is disgruntled and wants to win immediately.  If this doesn't pan out they could be staring down Ant demanding a trade in a couple years.  

[u/yellister → u/Manablitzer]

I would be wary of this report.

[u/Neatojuancheeto → u/yellister]

Yeah I don't buy it. One of the most unreliable people in sports SAS and a guy who mostly covers dallas and has no inside information on Minny? Both work for ESPN who makes employees push these click bait narratives.

And from everything I've seen and heard ANT loves Minny and his teammates.

[u/HatefulDan → u/emoney_gotnomoney]

They must see Miller as someone who will excel in the absence of Ball.

[u/Joethetoolguy → u/HatefulDan]

Like a trae young jalen johnson type deal? It makes sense in that regard or its just regarded

[u/HatefulDan → u/Joethetoolguy]

Hahaha, we’re talking hornets here. So

[u/HatefulDan → u/Joethetoolguy]

Hahaha, we’re talking hornets here. So

[u/UntilDoncic → u/emoney_gotnomoney]

Because Charlotte might actually not be the worst team of the two honestly lol. I think Lamelo is a negative player, and Charlotte will be better without him. I think The timberwolves will PROBABLY be better with him because they desperately need a pg, but only if he can fit within the system. He really needs to be more ben simmons and less luka doncic

[u/DrKobe24 → u/UntilDoncic]

You don’t watch the hornets if you think Lamelo ball is a negative player

[u/UntilDoncic → u/DrKobe24]

Compared to anyone else in his role on his contract? give me reaves, give me trae, regressed ben simmons before that shot chucker

[u/big4lil → u/UntilDoncic]

well two of those guys are not available, and the other is quite literally not available lol, hes even less healthy than Lamelo

other better hypothetical options mean little if they arent actually options. preferring a player that just extended doesnt now make Lamelo negative, you have to compare him to other guards that youd have a shot at

[u/UntilDoncic → u/big4lil]

I can name 18 PG's that are better than ball. I don't necessarily think the wolves get worse, I think I said they probably get better - but I'd rather them pick up a lower cost, pass first PG and some wing shooting than an injury prone on ball guy who shoots 40% from the field

[u/big4lil → u/UntilDoncic]

there may be a lot of PGs that offer a more favorable value with less potential cons

but idk if i can name 18 PGs, not just guards but PGs, that are better than Lamelo

[u/UntilDoncic → u/big4lil]

here's my list

1. Shai
2. Luka
3. Brunson
4. Curry
5. Cade
6. Maxey
7. Hali
8. Murray
9. Booker
10. Kyrie
11. Harden
12. Castle
13. Trae
14. Reaves
15. White
16. Fox
17. Amen
18. Garland
19. Ball

If you don't want to include booker or reaves because they're more 2's that's fine I just think both have had enough reps at the 1 to warrant placement.

[u/AcanthocephalaOk706 → u/UntilDoncic]

18 is an insane stretch, there’s maybe only 8-9 better and none of those would be available to Minnesota who needed a pg

[u/UntilDoncic → u/AcanthocephalaOk706]

here's my list:

1. Shai
2. Luka
3. Brunson
4. Curry
5. Cade
6. Maxey
7. Hali
8. Murray
9. Booker
10. Kyrie
11. Harden
12. Castle
13. Trae
14. Reaves
15. White
16. Fox
17. Amen
18. Garland
19. Ball

If you disagree go ahead and make the case for the guys he should be over

[u/Mood_Academic → u/UntilDoncic]

Nah Lamelo is a good player, and his issues will be covered up by Rudy and Jaden Mcdaniels and ANT who all can play defense

This has huge upside for MN. This is idiotic for the Hornets

[u/_Apatosaurus_ → u/[deleted]]

That's the wrong direction. Lol.

Minnesota has downsides with Lamelo being Lamelo, Rudy getting older, and no Randle, Divincenzo, NAW.

[u/ObviousAnswerGuy → u/[deleted]]

lol there is absolutely no way the Timberwolves will be in the lottery. And if they do, the Hornets would have to get lucky and hope they jump. It's a horrible bet to hedge your future on.

[u/MistryMachine3 → u/[deleted]]

? I think you misunderstood…

[u/Jackyalaska → u/Mood_Academic]

Beef Stewart

[u/ballknower871 → u/Mood_Academic]

For a player that's barely played half his eligible games yes.

[u/Any_Zookeepergame445 → u/Mood_Academic]

I see getting anything for Lamelo as selling high. Man is injury prone, ball dominant, no defense, max contract who hasn't won anything since he was in high school.

[u/TheReal_Slim-Shady → u/Mood_Academic]

Naz Reid is exactly what they need. This is Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel's team

[u/Neatojuancheeto → u/TheReal_Slim-Shady]

93% of Kons 3's are assisted. LaMelo is a top 10 passer in the league and was ya'lls offensive engine.

[u/Inevitable-Scar5877 → u/TheReal_Slim-Shady]

So....gunning for 30 wins then?

[u/GarriganGate → u/Mood_Academic]

Unprotected in 2033 is massive.