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The Charlotte Hornets trade buzz surrounding LaMelo Ball barely lasted 12 hours before a deal came to fruition. The Minnesota Timberwolves, who emerged as a frontrunner immediately to land Ball, struck a deal on Thursday morning, marking yet another blockbuster trade following the Giannis Antetokounmpo deal to the Miami Heat.
As ESPN's Shams Charania first reported, the trade is pick-heavy and also brings forward Naz Reid to Charlotte:
There are so many layers involved with Ball being traded that it's hard for anyone who isn't a Hornets fan to understand the impact of this deal. It goes beyond the 24-year-old's stat lines, injury history and even Ball's undeniable upside as a player. When the Hornets traded Ball, it also brought a significant risk of losing something that won't be factored into trade grades or the size of the return.
The Hornets are at risk of losing something they haven't had since Kemba Walker and Al Jefferson carried the team to the 2016 NBA Playoffs as a No. 6 seed, falling just short of knocking off the Miami Heat, losing that series 4-3. Walker brought an aura to the Hornets franchise that they've been unable to match since his departure.
Until Ball was selected as the No. 3 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.
After posting the franchise's first .500 or better regular-season record since the aforementioned 2015-16 season, in Ball's second year with the team, the Hornets struggled to find consistency. Ball has battled injuries, and the Hornets tried to find the right pieces to pair with him. Then, the 2025-26 season rolled around, and it finally started to come together.
The aura and free-flowing playing of Ball was embraced by Hornets fans, who loved his pairing with fellow budding stars Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel. And finally, for the first time since the franchise's return, Charlotte felt like a team that was on the rise.
Now, in a matter of days, the Hornets may have put that at risk by losing the same aura that helped so many fans buy back into a franchise that had given them little to cheer about.
The 2025-26 Hornets were 16-28 heading into a January 22 game with the Orlando Magic. After two games in March (victories over the Dallas Mavericks and Boston Celtics), Charlotte was 32-31. The stretch included nine straight wins and 16 victories over the span of 19 games. Hornets fans were invested; they began embracing every part of this young core, from Ball's 30-foot, one-legged three-pointers and Miller's ability to dominate in stretches on the offensive end.
The Hornets lost seven games through the remainder of the season, finishing with a 44-38 record, and defeating the Miami Heat in the first play-in matchup. While Charlotte's season ended with a disappointing blowout loss to the Orlando Magic, falling one victory shy of securing the No. 8 seed, it was a great step forward and one that left fans excited about the team's upside heading into the offseason.
The question now becomes simple for the Hornets: When they traded Ball to the Timberwolves, did they also remove the team's aura and swagger that was so apparent throughout the second half of the 2025-26 season?
If so, this trade could come back to haunt the Hornets. However, it also opens the door for Miller to become a centerpiece and focal point, and could lead to Charlotte making another big move this offseason, thanks to the newly available cap space created in the deal.
Time will tell, but one thing that's certain is Ball's energy and what he brought to the Hornets franchise as a whole will be tough to replace. It's not impossible, but it's an uphill climb.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Hornets trading LaMelo Ball destroys the exact aura that saved the franchise
Continue reading...
As ESPN's Shams Charania first reported, the trade is pick-heavy and also brings forward Naz Reid to Charlotte:
- Timberwolves receive: LaMelo Ball and Josh Green
- Hornets receive: Naz Reid, a 2033 unprotected first-round pick, three first-round pick swaps (2028, 2029 and 2030) and three second-round picks (2029, 2032 and 2033)
There are so many layers involved with Ball being traded that it's hard for anyone who isn't a Hornets fan to understand the impact of this deal. It goes beyond the 24-year-old's stat lines, injury history and even Ball's undeniable upside as a player. When the Hornets traded Ball, it also brought a significant risk of losing something that won't be factored into trade grades or the size of the return.
The Hornets are at risk of losing something they haven't had since Kemba Walker and Al Jefferson carried the team to the 2016 NBA Playoffs as a No. 6 seed, falling just short of knocking off the Miami Heat, losing that series 4-3. Walker brought an aura to the Hornets franchise that they've been unable to match since his departure.
Until Ball was selected as the No. 3 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.
After posting the franchise's first .500 or better regular-season record since the aforementioned 2015-16 season, in Ball's second year with the team, the Hornets struggled to find consistency. Ball has battled injuries, and the Hornets tried to find the right pieces to pair with him. Then, the 2025-26 season rolled around, and it finally started to come together.
The aura and free-flowing playing of Ball was embraced by Hornets fans, who loved his pairing with fellow budding stars Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel. And finally, for the first time since the franchise's return, Charlotte felt like a team that was on the rise.
Now, in a matter of days, the Hornets may have put that at risk by losing the same aura that helped so many fans buy back into a franchise that had given them little to cheer about.
LaMelo Ball's impact on Hornets went beyond the numbers
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The 2025-26 Hornets were 16-28 heading into a January 22 game with the Orlando Magic. After two games in March (victories over the Dallas Mavericks and Boston Celtics), Charlotte was 32-31. The stretch included nine straight wins and 16 victories over the span of 19 games. Hornets fans were invested; they began embracing every part of this young core, from Ball's 30-foot, one-legged three-pointers and Miller's ability to dominate in stretches on the offensive end.
The Hornets lost seven games through the remainder of the season, finishing with a 44-38 record, and defeating the Miami Heat in the first play-in matchup. While Charlotte's season ended with a disappointing blowout loss to the Orlando Magic, falling one victory shy of securing the No. 8 seed, it was a great step forward and one that left fans excited about the team's upside heading into the offseason.
The question now becomes simple for the Hornets: When they traded Ball to the Timberwolves, did they also remove the team's aura and swagger that was so apparent throughout the second half of the 2025-26 season?
If so, this trade could come back to haunt the Hornets. However, it also opens the door for Miller to become a centerpiece and focal point, and could lead to Charlotte making another big move this offseason, thanks to the newly available cap space created in the deal.
Time will tell, but one thing that's certain is Ball's energy and what he brought to the Hornets franchise as a whole will be tough to replace. It's not impossible, but it's an uphill climb.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Hornets trading LaMelo Ball destroys the exact aura that saved the franchise
Continue reading...
