LaMelo Ball now in Minnesota’s court

MANILA, Philippines — LaMelo Ball is heading to Minnesota.

The guard has been traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on Thursday evening (Manila time), as the squad forms a new lethal backcourt. 

Ball will now share the backcourt with star Anthony Edwards, in a deal that sent big man Naz Reid to the Charlotte Hornets.

Aside from Reid, the Wolves sent a 2033 unprotected first round pick, three first round pick swaps in 2028, 2029 and 2030 and three second round picks in 2029, 2032 and 2033 in the deal.

The third overall pick of the 2020 NBA draft, Ball averaged 20.1 points, 7.1 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game on 40.7% shooting from the floor last season for the Hornets, who fell in the play-in tournament.

He will now be teaming up with the first overall pick of the same draft class in Edwards, who averaged a career-best 28.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.4 steals a contest for Minnesota last season.

The Wolves reached the Western Conference semifinals as the sixth seed, but fell to eventual finalist San Antonio Spurs.

Reid, on the other hand, had a solid year for Minnesota with 13.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists and a steal per contest.

The trade was announced a couple of days after the Wolves shipped forward Julius Randle to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for draft capital. That same deal sent Nets center Nic Claxton to the Chicago Bulls.

With Ball’s departure, the Hornets will be led by Brandon Miller, Kon Knueppel, Miles Bridges and Reid.