The Timberwolves made a stunning trade Thursday to acquire LaMelo Ball and Josh Green in a move that sent beloved big man Naz Reid to the Hornets.
Minnesota also gave up a 2033 unprotected first-round pick, three future pick swaps, and three future second-round picks.
The trade fills a longstanding need for the Wolves at point guard, a position they’ve neglected since drafting Anthony Edwards No. 1 overall in 2021, one spot ahead of Ball, who went to the Hornets at No. 2.
The trade immediately boosted the Timberwolves’ 2027 NBA title chances, too.
Before the trade, Minnesota had 30/1 odds at FanDuel Sportsbook to win the NBA Finals next season, and that number improved to 22/1 post-trade. They are now tied with the Nuggets and sit just ahead of the Heat (30/1) and just above the Pistons (25/1) in a tier of hopeful contenders.
Minnesota’s season came to an abrupt end at the hands of the Spurs in the second round of the NBA playoffs after back-to-back runs to the Western Conference finals. The Wolves lost in six games after taking a 1-0 lead in the series, and the matchup exposed a glaring need for better guard play.
Ayo Dosunmu was their leading assist man in the playoffs with 4.1 per game, and the Wolves were last among playoff teams in potential assists per game at 34.9. Ball averages 7.3 assists in his career and has averaged at least 20 points per game for the past five seasons.
The Wolves have been busy in other areas this offseason as well. They traded Julius Randle and the No. 28 pick in this year’s NBA Draft to the Nets for the No. 33 pick and took Duke wing Isaiah Evans, along with Purdue’s Trey Kaufman-Renn at No. 59.
They also will reportedly sign Dosunmu to a five-year contract worth $112 million.
But the Reid trade leaves them thin in the frontcourt with Rudy Gobert as their only reliable big man.
On the Hornets’ side, the trade didn’t move the needle at all. They are 80/1 to win the championship next season and 27/1 to win the Eastern Conference, tied with the Raptors. Their season ended in an embarrassing road loss against the Magic in the NBA Play-In tournament, with the last playoff spot up for grabs.
But with promising wing players Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller alongside Naz Reid, the Hornets can certainly be a frisky team next season.
Malik Smith has been immersed in the sports betting industry since 2017. He’s a data nerd with a particular focus on the NBA and combat sports. He spends his weeknights in the winter looking for edges on plus-money NBA player props.
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