MINNEAPOLIS — LaMelo Ball’s arrival in Minnesota did not come cheaply.
The Timberwolves paid a significant price to land Ball, parting with two established power forwards and a haul of draft capital as they continue their push to make the final, elusive leap toward an NBA championship.
“I think he’ll elevate us,” president of basketball operations Tim Connelly said, “and our environment will be conducive to his continued growth as well.”
For Minnesota, the appeal was clear: add one of the NBA’s true point guards and ease the playmaking load on franchise star Anthony Edwards. To do it, however, the Wolves had to give up meaningful pieces.
In a complex four-team deal involving the Nets, Hornets and Bulls, the Timberwolves acquired Ball and guard Josh Green. Minnesota sent fan favorite Naz Reid to Charlotte along with a substantial draft package: an unprotected 2033 first-round pick, first-round pick swaps in 2028, 2029 and 2030, and second-round selections in 2029, 2032 and 2033.
Editor’s Picks
2 Related
Julius Randle, Minnesota’s second-leading scorer, was moved to Brooklyn in the trade, a step that opened the salary cap flexibility the Wolves needed to re-sign guard Ayo Dosunmu.
The reshaped roster also creates a notable 2020 NBA Draft connection in Minnesota. Edwards was selected first overall that year, Ball went third, Green was taken 18th by Dallas, and Jaden McDaniels came off the board at No. 28, leaving the Timberwolves with four first-rounders from that class.
“Well, we have none for the next 10 years,” Connelly quipped at the introductory news conference for Ball and Green on Tuesday at Target Center. “It’s all about quality, not quantity, right?”
All four of those 2020 draftees are still 25 and younger, giving the Wolves confidence they’ll continue to contend — “bites at the apple” is Connelly’s description — as long as Edwards is on the roster.
“I’ve known Ant for a minute, so we’ve been talking,” Ball said. “Everybody’s excited, and we’re ready to get to work.”
Ball played in only 43% of the games over a three-year stretch from 2022 to 2025 before a promising 2025-26 season that helped propel the Hornets into the play-in games. He has shown a recklessness on and off the court at times, too. But the Wolves will give him a stronger team than he ever had with the Hornets, and six years into his NBA career the 6-foot-7 Ball is still just 24.
“You’ve got to have a big backcourt. We learned that through the playoffs this year,” Wolves coach Chris Finch said.
The flip side of Ball’s penchant for undisciplined or flashy plays is a carefree style the Wolves could use. One of the undercurrents of their underachieving season that ended with a second-round loss to San Antonio was a moodiness that became part of their collective personality. Too many players took too long to shake off unproductive games or frustrating stretches.
“This is supposed to be fun,” Connelly said. “He enjoys life. He enjoys playing. You don’t want to make this anything but where it’s a joyous atmosphere.”
The void left by the departure of Randle and Reid could be filled rather neatly by a certain free agent who has included the Wolves on his list of teams worth considering. Meet Minneapolis, the city’s tourism arm, even took out digital billboards in Los Angeles to add a light-hearted element to the pitch for LeBron James.
But even if the NBA’s all-time leading scorer is unlikely to land in Minnesota for his 24th season, the Wolves have found satisfaction in the widespread notion around the league they might well provide the best on-court fit for James.
“This is a place where you’re going to have a lot of fun and win a lot of games. We’re trying to change the narrative of how this organization is viewed. We’re kind of proud of who we are, and certainly, wherever LeBron ends up, he’s going to make that place much, much better,” Connelly said. “I like who we are and we’re pretty proud of who we are. Hopefully that’s appealing, not just to LeBron, but to any free agent.”
