Why Hornets are biggest winner in blockbuster LaMelo Ball trade

The Minnesota Timberwolves got the bigger name, but the Charlotte Hornets are the biggest winner of the blockbuster LaMelo Ball trade.

On Thursday, ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania reported that the Hornets are sending Ball and shooting guard Josh Green to the Timberwolves in exchange for center Naz Reid, first-round pick swaps from 2028-30, an unprotected 2033 first and three seconds (2029, 2032, 2033).

The deal may appear counterintuitive for the Hornets, who went a surprising 44-38 last season — tied for the franchise's second-best record since reentering the league as the Bobcats in 2004-05 — and finished a win shy of making the Eastern Conference playoffs. But it may just be what the organization needs to go even further.

Blockbuster LaMelo Ball trade could be best thing for Hornets in long run

Ball, the 2020-21 Rookie of the Year, played 72 games (69 starts) last season and averaged 20.1 points, a team-high 7.1 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game. He's been among the league's highest-volume three-point shooters since entering the league, ranking sixth in threes per game (3.2) over his first six NBA seasons.

A starting backcourt consisting of Ball and two-time All-NBA shooting guard Anthony Edwards could wreak havoc offensively, and Minnesota needed a starting point guard, explaining the aggressive move from its perspective. And based on the whopping return, Charlotte had almost no choice but to say yes.

Getting Reid, one of the league's stretch bigs and 2023-24 Sixth Man of the Year, fills a major front-court need. The deal also adds to a growing list of draft capital. In addition to all of its own future firsts, CBS NBA reporter Sam Quinn noted, Charlotte also possess 2027 firsts from the Mavericks and Heat as well as control of other first-round picks in 2028, 2029 and 2030.