CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Charlotte Hornets are sending point guard LaMelo Ball and Josh Green to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Naz Reid, a 2033 unprotected first-round draft pick, three first-round pick swaps, and three future second-round picks, according to a person with knowledge of the deal who spoke to the Associated Press on Thursday.
The source requested anonymity because the trade, which was first reported by ESPN, has not yet received official league approval.
The three first-round pick swaps are set for 2028, 2029, and 2030. Charlotte will also receive second-round picks in 2029, 2032, and 2033.
Ball, who earned an All-Star selection in 2022, has dealt with ankle and foot injuries throughout his time in the league. Despite that injury history, he appeared in 72 games last season, putting up averages of 20.1 points, 7.1 assists, and 4.8 rebounds per game.
He had three years remaining on a five-year, $203.9 million designated rookie extension — the largest contract in Hornets franchise history.
A second source told the AP that this trade is expected to be connected to the earlier deal in which Minnesota agreed to send Julius Randle to Brooklyn, a transaction that also involved the Chicago Bulls earlier this month. The combined moves are anticipated to generate an NBA-record trade exception of nearly $41 million for Charlotte.
None of the deals can be made official until July 6, when the league’s moratorium on transactions is lifted.
This move is the latest in a string of major NBA trades, following the blockbuster deal that sent Giannis Antetokounmpo from Milwaukee to Miami in a package that included Tyler Herro — a move that came before the draft, shortly after the Randle transaction.
