Breaking: Timberwolves Trade for Lamelo Ball
The Timberwolves didn’t wait long to reshape their backcourt. Minnesota pushed in a massive haul to land LaMelo Ball, pairing him with Anthony Edwards in one of the most explosive young guard tandems in the league.
The move, reported across multiple outlets Thursday morning, sends Ball and Josh Green to Minnesota in exchange for Naz Reid and a package of draft capital.
What Minnesota Gave Up
The Timberwolves front office paid a premium. The Wolves sent Reid, their 2033 unprotected first round pick, three first round pick swaps for 2028, 2029, and 2030, and three second rounders for 2029, 2032, and 2033 to Charlotte. It’s the kind of offer that signals a franchise fully committed to building around Edwards and now Ball.
Reid’s departure stings. He was a fan favorite and one of the league’s top reserves, earning Sixth Man of the Year honors in 2024 and bringing playoff experience Charlotte clearly valued. But the Timberwolves believed the upside of a Ball and Edwards pairing outweighed the cost.
Why Ball Fits the Timberwolves Timeline
Ball arrives with three years remaining on his five year, 203.8 million dollar extension. He’s coming off a healthy 72 game season in which he averaged 20.1 points, 7.1 assists, and 4.8 rebounds while shooting 36.8 percent from deep. That mattered after several injury affected years.
Minnesota needed a true lead guard. Mike Conley’s age showed last season, and the Wolves cycled through options trying to stabilize the position. Ball gives them a dynamic creator who can ease the pressure on Edwards, who faced heavy double teams after the Karl Anthony Towns trade.
The Wolves now roll out a backcourt featuring the No. 1 and No. 3 picks from the 2020 draft, two players who grew up in the same era, carry similar competitive timelines, and can shoulder the offense together. Ball’s passing vision and high volume three point shooting complement Edwards’ downhill scoring and physicality.
What This Means for Minnesota
Minnesota already moved Julius Randle to clear space and re-signed Ayo Dosunmu, but landing Ball is the headline. The Wolves sacrificed frontcourt depth with Reid and Randle both gone, but they gained a long-term answer at point guard and a legitimate No. 2 option behind Edwards.
The Timberwolves have made five straight postseason appearances, but they’ve struggled to break through. Adding Ball signals, a franchise refusing to back down. It’s a gamble, but it’s the kind of gamble contenders make.
