The Charlotte Hornets agreed to trade star point guard LaMelo Ball and guard Josh Green to the Minnesota Timberwolves on June 25, 2026, according to multiple sources [1, 2, 3, 4]. In return, the Hornets will receive power forward/center Naz Reid, an unprotected 2033 first-round pick, three first-round pick swaps in 2028, 2029, and 2030, and three future second-round picks in 2029, 2032, and 2033 [1, 2, 3, 4].
Ball, 24, was the third overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. He was the 2020-21 Rookie of the Year and an All-Star in 2022 [1, 5, 4]. Although he struggled with injuries in recent seasons, playing just 105 games over the 2022-23 to 2024-25 period, Ball appeared in a career-high 72 games last season. He averaged approximately 20 points, 7 assists, and 5 rebounds per game in 2025-26 [1, 3, 6, 4]. His current contract is a five-year, $203.9 million designated rookie deal [1].
Naz Reid, 26, was named the 2024 Sixth Man of the Year. He averaged 13.6 points and 6.2 rebounds per game last season and is a capable 37.1% three-point shooter [1, 3]. The Timberwolves view Reid as a key veteran addition to complement their backcourt.
The Timberwolves intend to pair Ball with their All-Star guard Anthony Edwards, who averaged a career-high 28.8 points per game last season. Minnesota has reached the playoffs five straight seasons and made the Western Conference Finals in 2024 and 2025, but exited in the second round of the 2026 playoffs [1, 5, 7, 8, 3, 4]. Timberwolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly sees Ball as a developmental fit and offensive upgrade alongside Edwards [5, 3, 6].
The Hornets finished last season with the top-ranked offense and fifth-ranked defense from January onward but ultimately missed the playoffs. Charlotte drafted Kon Knueppel last year, a strong off-ball player but unlikely to replace Ball’s playmaking [1, 7, 8, 3]. The Hornets plan to re-sign unrestricted free agent Coby White to take over starting point guard duties [1, 3].
The trade creates an NBA-record trade exception of nearly $41 million for the Hornets [1]. The deal is connected to a multi-team agreement moving Julius Randle from Minnesota to Brooklyn [1]. Both teams must wait until July 6 for the NBA moratorium on trades to lift before the deal can be finalized [1, 3]. Ball expressed optimism about his new situation, saying, "I think it’s just a great position and I think we are all going the right way now" [4].
