Wolves Land Ball
Timberwolves Acquire LaMelo Ball in Costly Trade, Aiming for Western Conference Competitiveness
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The Minnesota Timberwolves have traded for Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball in one of the biggest deals of the offseason, according to ESPN. Minnesota sent Naz Reid, a 2033 unprotected first-round pick, three first-round pick swaps, and three second-round picks to Charlotte in exchange for Ball and wing Josh Green.
The deal was broken by Shams Charania at 8:26 AM CST on June 25, 2026. It pairs Ball — who averaged 20.1 points and 7.1 assists last season — with Anthony Edwards, the No. 1 pick from the same 2020 NBA Draft. Minnesota's NBA Finals odds skyrocketed immediately after the news broke, according to Sports Illustrated.
Injuries and Urgency Forced Minnesota's Hand
The trade traces back to April 25, 2026. Just 79 seconds into Game 4 against Denver, guard Donte DiVincenzo tore his right Achilles tendon. Minutes later, Anthony Edwards suffered a bone bruise in his left knee, according to Heavy. Those two injuries in one night exposed a glaring weakness: Minnesota had no true point guard.
President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly had already telegraphed a bold offseason. "We aren't good enough right now," he said in May, per Yahoo Sports. "If we mess up, we'll mess up loudly." Two days before the Ball trade, Minnesota dumped Julius Randle's contract to the Brooklyn Nets in a three-team deal. That move cleared $69 million in future salary — the financial room needed to absorb Ball's $40.7 million cap hit for 2026-27.
Charlotte Decided Kon Knueppel Is the Future
The Hornets did not trade Ball because he failed. He played 72 games last season — a career high since 2021-22 — and shot 36.8% from three. But rookie Kon Knueppel changed everything. Knueppel shattered rookie records with 273 made three-pointers in 2025-26, per WBTV. Charlotte's front office decided he — not Ball — was the cornerstone going forward.
Hornets President Jeff Peterson had once called Ball "hard to replace." He ultimately chose to build around Knueppel and Brandon Miller instead. In return, Charlotte got Reid, the 2024 Sixth Man of the Year who averaged 13.6 points and 6.2 rebounds, plus a war chest of future picks to chase another star as early as 2027, according to Sports Illustrated.
Ball and Edwards Form a High-Octane Backcourt — With Risks
Minnesota now has two top-three picks from the same draft in the same starting lineup. Ball breaks down defenses and creates shots. Edwards finishes them. The combination gives the Timberwolves the most explosive young backcourt in the league. Their NBA Finals odds jumped sharply the moment the trade was confirmed, per Sports Illustrated.
But the concerns are real. Ball has reached 70 games in a season only twice in six years. National analysts flagged his ankle history as a major risk, per Yahoo Sports. On defense, losing Reid leaves a huge gap behind center Rudy Gobert. The frontcourt depth is now thin, placing heavy pressure on Jaden McDaniels to hold the line. Anthony Edwards reportedly pushed hard for the move — now both he and the front office own the outcome.
Minnesota's Financial Tightrope Starts July 6
Ball is eligible to sign a two-year, $119.2 million extension on July 6. He already has four years left on a five-year, $203 million deal signed in 2024. Minnesota must now navigate the NBA's "second apron" — a hard salary cap threshold that limits a team's ability to sign free agents or trade future first-round picks, according to Heavy.
Marc Stein noted the Randle trade was a "prerequisite" to this entire deal — without clearing that cap space first, absorbing Ball's salary would have been impossible. The Timberwolves have bet their future draft capital and their best frontcourt reserve on one player staying healthy. Connelly called it "playing hands." The 2026-27 season will show whether it was a winning one.
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