Sports

NBA Fans React to LaMelo Ball Being Traded to Minnesota Timberwolves in Blockbuster Deal

The Charlotte Hornets sent Ball and Josh Green to Minnesota for Naz Reid.

LaMelo Ball #1 of the Charlotte Hornets looks on during the second half against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on April 12, 2026 in New York City.
Jordan Bank / Stringer via Getty Images

The Charlotte Hornets have agreed to trade LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves in a deal that includes Josh Green, Naz Reid, and several NBA Draft picks.

As first reported by ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania, the Hornets have traded LaMelo Ball and Josh Green to the Timberwolves in exchange for the 2033 unprotected first-round pick, three first-round pick swaps from 2028-2030, and three second-round picks in 2029, 2032, and 2033. The move will bring an end to Ball’s career with the Hornets, the franchise that drafted him in 2020.

News of the trade has left some fans confused, with some suggesting that it doesn’t make much sense while others pointed out that the trade would put Ball on the same team as Anthony Edwards. The two NBA stars have a history of making headlines, and Edwards appeared to disagree with the NBA’s decision to name Ball the 2020-21 NBA Rookie of the Year. Whether there will be any animosity between the players on the court, however, remains to be seen.

Still, news of the trade, which comes not long after Ball welcomed his first child with Ana Montana, has inspired strong reactions from NBA fans. Especially after fans were still reacting to the news of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s blockbuster trade to the Miami Heat.

Check out reactions to the trade below.

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