The Charlotte Hornets traded All-Star point guard LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday in exchange for forward-center Naz Reid and draft picks.

Charlotte also sent forward Josh Green to the Timberwolves and received a 2033 unprotected first-round pick, first-round pick swaps in 2028, 2029 and 2030, and second-round picks in 2029, 2032 and 2033 from Minnesota.

The Hornets selected Ball with the third overall pick in 2020, and he took home NBA Rookie of the Year honours after averaging 15.7 points, 6.1 assists, 5.9 rebounds and 1.59 steals in 51 games.

Ball was an All-Star in his second season in 2021-22 and ended up averaging 20.1 points, 7.6 assists, 6.7 boards and 1.59 steals in 75 appearances.

BREAKING: The Charlotte Hornets are trading star guard LaMelo Ball and Josh Green to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Naz Reid, a 2033 unprotected first-round pick, three first-round pick swaps (2028, 2029, 2030) and three second-round picks (2029, 2032, 2033), sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/lkhXBWHCrA

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 25, 2026

Ball’s next three seasons, however, were interrupted by ankle injuries.

He appeared in just 105 total games from 2022-25 but shined when on the court, averaging 24.3 points, 7.9 assists, 5.5 rebounds and 1.33 steals over that stretch.

Ball, though, was healthy last season and played in 72 games while averaging 20.1 points, 7.1 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 1.21 steals as Charlotte reached the NBA Play-In Tournament as the ninth seed in the Eastern Conference.

He now joins a Minnesota team that’s advanced to the play-offs in five straight seasons and made back-to-back Western Conference finals appearances in 2024 and 2025.

Ball will be paired in the backcourt with four-time All-Star Anthony Edwards, who went two picks earlier than Ball in the 2020 draft as the top overall selection.

Reid was a key member of the Timberwolves and averaged 13.8 points and 5.8 rebounds in 238 games (34 starts) over the last three seasons.

Green appeared in 58 contests off the bench for Charlotte last season, playing 15.7 minutes per game and averaging 4.3 points.