Days after the Minnesota Timberwolves made their first move in what will end up being a busy offseason full of roster moves, another domino fell with a trade centered around another NBA star — and a fan favorite.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Thursday morning the Wolves agreed to acquire All-Star guard LaMelo Ball from the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for Naz Reid and draft picks.
The full deal, according to reports, includes:
- Minnesota receives: Ball and guard Josh Green
- Charlotte receives: Reid, a 2033 unprotected first-round pick, three first-round pick swaps (2028, 2029, 2030) and three second-round picks (2029, 2032, 2033)
Numerous reports note this trade is going to be folded into the three-team trade that was centered around Randle, making the salaries and numbers work for all involved.
Enter LaMelo Ball
Ball is a player the Wolves have long admired, notably pairing him alongside Anthony Edwards to form a star-powered backcourt. And, as many who have watched the Wolves know, the point guard spot is a position Minnesota has looked to shore up and solidify for years — and now it has that answer.
Ball wrapped up his sixth season in the NBA in 2025-26, spending the entirety of his career in Charlotte to this point.
Health has been an area of concern for Ball over his career, playing in 72 games this past season to mark the second time in his career he has played over 70 games. In 2025-26, Ball averaged 20.1 points, 7.1 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 1.2 steals over 28.0 minutes per game, shooting 40.7% from the field and 36.8% from three.
Over his six-year career with the Hornets, Ball has averaged 20.8 points, 7.3 assists, 5.7 rebounds and 1.4 steals over 31.0 minutes in 303 career games. He holds career shooting marks of 41.8% from the field and 36.5% from three.
Ball is already a veteran in the league, heading into his seventh season, but he will turn just 25 years old in August, so there is plenty of time for him and Edwards to grow together in Minnesota.
Farewell, Naz Reid
A fan favorite, many didn’t think Reid would be on the table for the Wolves in trade talks this offseason — especially after the Randle trade — making his exit surprising.
However, it’s clear that Minnesota has its vision for what it wants this roster to look like surrounding Edwards, and the front office appears to value adding Ball more than keeping Reid.
Reid’s exit brings to end an incredible story and run in Minnesota. As a player who went undrafted, Reid took over the Wolves fan base as a fan favorite, became one of the best sixth men and bench players in the NBA, and stormed onto the scene as a starting-caliber player.
Reid concluded his seventh season in the NBA in 2025-26, spending the entirety of his career in Minnesota. An annual Sixth Man of the Year candidate, Reid averaged 13.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks over 26.1 minutes in 77 games primarily off the bench.
Over the course of his career, the soon-to-be 27-year-old has averaged 11.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.9 blocks and 0.7 steals over 483 regular season games in a Wolves uniform.
Reid has earned a bigger role and opportunity. Though many Wolves fans thought and hoped that would be in Minnesota, it now will take place in Charlotte as Wolves fans cheer from afar for one of their all-time favorites.
Naz Reid.