Hornets trade LaMelo Ball and Josh Green to Timberwolves for Naz Reid and draft assets
Charlotte will receive forward Naz Reid, a 2033 first-round pick, three first-round pick swaps and three second-round picks, while Minnesota acquires guard LaMelo Ball and wing Josh Green.
Charlotte has agreed to send point guard LaMelo Ball and wing Josh Green to the Minnesota Timberwolves in a deal that also moves forward Naz Reid to the Hornets. Minnesota will also receive an unprotected 2033 first-round pick, first-round pick swaps for 2028, 2029 and 2030, and second-round selections in 2029, 2032 and 2033. In return, Charlotte will acquire Reid, who carries a $23.3 million cap hit, and the draft assets listed.
The trade is expected to be finalized after the new league year begins in July, as it will be incorporated into the Timberwolves’ Julius Randle transaction with the Nets and Bulls for salary-matching purposes. Ball, the 2021 Rookie of the Year and a 2022 All-Star, posted a 20.1-point, 7.1-assist and 4.8-rebound average in 72 games during the 2025-26 season, helping Charlotte to a 28-10 record and a play-in berth.
Tim Connelly, Minnesota’s president of basketball operations, and head coach Chris Finch have expressed admiration for Ball’s playmaking and three-point shooting, viewing him as a fit alongside forward Anthony Edwards. The Wolves will also retain guard Ayo Dosunmu, who recently signed a five-year, $112 million contract, and center Rudy Gobert, while addressing a point-guard vacancy created by injuries to Donte DiVincenzo and reduced minutes for Mike Conley.
Financially, the trade swaps roughly $55.4 million in salaries from Charlotte for $55.9 million in salaries to Minnesota, creating a projected $40.8 million traded-player exception for the Hornets, the largest in league history. The cap relief may aid Charlotte in pursuing free-agent guard Coby White and building around recent draft picks Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel.
"We think Ball’s passing ability and high-volume three-point shooting will make him a natural fit next to Edwards," said a source familiar with Connelly and Finch’s assessment.
Both teams retain control over future first-round picks, with Charlotte receiving swap rights for 2028, 2029 and 2030, and Minnesota retaining protections on its later selections.