The Minnesota Timberwolves have made one of the biggest moves of the 2026 offseason, acquiring LaMelo Ball and Josh Green from the Charlotte Hornets in a blockbuster trade first reported by ESPN insider Shams Charania on Thursday.
According to Charania, Minnesota is sending Naz Reid, an unprotected 2033 first-round pick, three first-round pick swaps (2028, 2029 and 2030), and three second-round picks (2029, 2032 and 2033) to Charlotte. Charania reported that the Hornets did not actively shop Ball but listened to offers and ultimately accepted a package centered around Reid and significant draft compensation.
The deal gives Minnesota the star point guard it had been seeking after creating financial flexibility earlier this week. The Timberwolves moved Julius Randle and the No. 28 pick to the Brooklyn Nets in a separate transaction that opened approximately $33 million in cap space. That maneuver allowed Minnesota to re-sign Ayo Dosunmu and positioned the franchise to pursue another major addition alongside Anthony Edwards.
Charania noted that Timberwolves co-owners Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez will enter the luxury tax for a third consecutive season as the organization pushes aggressively toward championship contention. The move also fills Minnesota’s long-term point guard vacancy after veteran Mike Conley’s role diminished during the 2025-26 campaign.
Additional details emerged shortly afterward from NBA insider Marc Stein, who reported that the Ball trade is expected to be folded into the previously reported three-team deal involving Randle.
Ball, 24, is coming off one of the healthiest and most productive seasons of his career. He appeared in 72 games for Charlotte, averaging 20.1 points, 7.1 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 1.2 steals while shooting 36.8% from three-point range. His 72 appearances represented his highest games-played total since entering the NBA and helped lead the Hornets to a 44-38 record and a Play-In Tournament berth.
The acquisition creates a star-studded backcourt pairing with Edwards, exactly as Charania highlighted in his report. Edwards averaged 28.8 points per game during the 2025-26 season and earned All-Star honors while leading Minnesota to a 49-33 record and a Western Conference semifinal appearance. The duo also reunites two of the top three selections from the 2020 NBA Draft, with Edwards going No. 1 overall and Ball selected No. 3.
Green, 25, provides additional perimeter depth after averaging 4.3 points while shooting 42.0% from three-point range for Charlotte last season. He is entering the final year of his three-year, $41 million contract.
For Charlotte, the return is headlined by Reid, one of the league’s most productive reserve big men. The 26-year-old averaged 13.6 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 77 games for Minnesota last season while finishing fourth in Sixth Man of the Year voting. Reid is entering the second season of a five-year, $125 million contract that includes a player option in the final year.
The trade signals a significant shift for both organizations. Minnesota is betting that Ball’s playmaking can elevate an offense built around Edwards and transform the Timberwolves into a more serious challenger in a Western Conference led by Oklahoma City and San Antonio. Charlotte, meanwhile, adds an established frontcourt piece and a substantial collection of future draft assets after receiving what Charania described as one of multiple strong offers for its franchise guard.
