Hornets trade LaMelo Ball to Timberwolves in stunning NBA deal
The Hornets are out of the Lamelo Ball business, trading him to the Timberwolves on Thursday, ESPN.com reported.
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Ball was shipped to Minnesota in exchange for Naz Reid, a 2033 unprotected first-round pick, three first-round pick swaps (2028, 2029, and 2030) and three second-round picks.
Reserve guard Josh Green heads to Minnesota as well in the trade.
The move comes after reports that Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards would force a trade from Minnesota in the near future if the team doesn’t improve his supporting cast.
The pairing of Ball and Edwards should be interesting, as the now-former Hornets guard is one of the most divisive stars in the NBA.
Ball is not known as a player who takes defensive effort particularly seriously, although he did play better during the Hornets’ second-half playoff push, where they went 18-9, among the best in basketball.
Shot selection is another key sticking point that has frustrated Ball fans, as he sometimes shoots off-balance jump shots from several feet beyond the arc.
It’ll be up to Timberwolves coach Chris Finch to reign in Ball’s questionable shot quality and inconsistent defensive prowess.
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The poor defensive metrics will likely be masked somewhat by the presence of perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate Rudy Gobert backing him up down low.
Ball has also seldomly been available during his NBA career.
He played in 72 games last season, the second-most of his career, but suited up for just 105 of a possible 246 games in his prior three seasons in the league.
Ball averaged his fewest points per game since his rookie year (20.1), but he still helped the Hornets qualify for the Play-In Tournament, and last season was the most wins he has contributed to since he entered the NBA.
For Minnesota, the loss of Reid certainly hurts their big man depth, as they also just traded their other forward, Julius Randle, to the Nets in a salary dump earlier this week.
The Hornets will now go forward with guards that consist of Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel, while welcoming in Reid to their backcourt.
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