MN Rube Chat

The Charlotte Hornets are trading star guard LaMelo Ball and Josh Green to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Naz Reid and a series of draft picks, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania on Thursday.

In addition to Reid, the Hornets will receive a 2033 unprotected first-round pick and three second-round picks (2029, 2032, 2033). Charlotte also gets first-round pick swaps in 2028, 2029 and 2030.

This requires its own thread.

I hate Lamelo off the court like most of the rubes on here but Bball wise, I'm for this trade. We have a legit PG to pair with Ant and Jaden for a while. I'm gonna miss Naz but Ball, if healthy, can be a legit allstar.

Good call on the new thread. It's intertwined with Randle too.

I support Shoteh

The LaMelo Ball Trade Already Feels Like the Luka Doncic Mistake Dallas Made
The timing, the return, and the reaction all mirror the blockbuster trade from a year ago.

https://www.si.com/nba/hornets/onsi/the ... allas-made

Grades FOR THE HORNETS

Schuyler Callihan: D+
I initially had this as an F, but because of this trade, the Hornets will have a $40M trade exception, meaning something else is coming down the line. So, I'm grading this to a D+ for now, giving them some wiggle room to make up for this return. I usually see how both teams win a little and lose a little in a trade. That's how it should be. But to be blunt, this is a terrible deal for Charlotte. First-round picks several years down the road mean nothing, especially if Minnesota is playing well and is a title contender. What makes this deal even worse is that Jeff Peterson is going against everything he's preached since he landed in the Queen City — patience. Yes, that was mainly in regard to acquiring a big-time talent versus sending one out, but it's the same risk, if not worse. Why on earth would you blow up this young core after they just figured things out? This roster was built around LaMelo. Coby White is a talented player, but he does not impact the game the way Ball can. The Hornets would have been better off standing pat and just running it back with the same starting five than doing this. Truly don't understand the motivation behind this move.

Zach Roberts: F
There is no way this trade would've earned a good grade in my book unless they got an unfathomable return. They did not. The return is mediocre in general. They earned some first-round picks and Naz Reid, which is pretty uninspiring for a blockbuster. But when you compare it to what they're losing, their best player by a wide margin and a solid role player that could've fetched a decent return on his own, it's horrendous. F isn’t even an accurate grade, but that's the lowest the scale goes. This is a franchise-destroying move. Ball is the entire offense, and everyone else is going to suffer for this. I hope Hornets fans enjoyed 44 wins, because they may not smell that again for a while. Good luck, Christian Anderson. Your job just got a whole lot harder, especially if something falls through with Coby White.

Austin Leake: F
The Hornets built with LaMelo Ball, and the team seemed to have figured it out. He made his teammates better, and he fit the Hornets' DNA. This trade makes absolutely no sense in light of what Jeff Peterson has been saying since day one. This one won't sit well with the fan base at all, and rightfully so. It feels like a deal that just erased all of the good vibes the Hornets had captured.

weimy froob wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2026 12:00 pm The LaMelo Ball Trade Already Feels Like the Luka Doncic Mistake Dallas Made
The timing, the return, and the reaction all mirror the blockbuster trade from a year ago.

https://www.si.com/nba/hornets/onsi/the ... allas-made

The Hornets felt like they were close to a full rebuild and making a run in the East....And they still might be close with Coby White extending.

I really think Ant wanted this to happen and it couldn't have been done without trading Randle.

It always seemed like Naz was going to have to get attached to Randle or Gobert to bring back an impact player.

don't care about what the Hornets thinking was. just glad this happened. now all he has to do is stay healthy and I think you're going to see a top three team in the West in the regular season. I think they've made a jump over those second tier teams with this move.

https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/lame ... s-hornets/

Minnesota Timberwolves: B+
Charlotte Hornets: B

just saw the headline. can't vouch.

Timberwolves' NBA Finals Odds Skyrocket After Blockbuster Trade for LaMelo Ball

https://www.si.com/betting/timberwolves ... amelo-ball

weimy froob wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2026 12:26 pm just saw the headline. can't vouch.

Timberwolves' NBA Finals Odds Skyrocket After Blockbuster Trade for LaMelo Ball

https://www.si.com/betting/timberwolves ... amelo-ball

From +3200 to +2000. From 8th lowest odds to 6th.

ForCaleb wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2026 12:32 pm

weimy froob wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2026 12:26 pm just saw the headline. can't vouch.

Timberwolves' NBA Finals Odds Skyrocket After Blockbuster Trade for LaMelo Ball

https://www.si.com/betting/timberwolves ... amelo-ball

From +3200 to +2000. From 8th lowest odds to 6th.

so you could say the team right now is...

weimy froob wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2026 12:37 pm

That's VERY interesting.

Oriole81 wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2026 12:38 pm

ForCaleb wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2026 12:32 pm

weimy froob wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2026 12:26 pm just saw the headline. can't vouch.

Timberwolves' NBA Finals Odds Skyrocket After Blockbuster Trade for LaMelo Ball

https://www.si.com/betting/timberwolves ... amelo-ball

From +3200 to +2000. From 8th lowest odds to 6th.

so you could say the team right now is...

Spoiler:

BALLING?

Spoiler:

We're commmminnnnn

Connelly needs to find a way to turn Green into a PF. Someone make a list of possible options via trade for guys making what Green makes. There was a tweet mentioning guys like PJ Washington or Nikola Jović as possible options. Basically guys on similar, but longer contracts their current team might want to trade in a salary dump for an expiring.

A$$MAN wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2026 12:50 pm Connelly needs to find a way to turn Green into a PF. Someone make a list of possible options via trade for guys making what Green makes. There was a tweet mentioning guys like PJ Washington or Nikola Jović as possible options. Basically guys on similar, but longer contracts their current team might want to trade in a salary dump for an expiring.

I think you can also add in Donte's expiring for that, and go for a $25M or so guy.

Shocked Naz was traded. Reserving judgment until I see what other moves Tim C makes and I see the product on the court. But I got to thinking about realistic options available.

Jotted down some names and asked myself which of these guys is available for Naz and a distant first. I would be surprised if the swaps actually conveyed.

Wemby
Shai
Luka
Murray
Ant
Jokic
Kawhi
Maxey
Cade
Brown
KD
Mitchell
Brunson
KAT
Reaves
Fox
Johnson
Harden
Duren
Castle
Garland
Booker
Knueppel
Mobley
Ball
Chet
Lebron
Bane
Adebayo
Banchero

Looking at it that way, made me think of it a little differently. (moved from other thread)

A$$MAN wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2026 12:50 pm Connelly needs to find a way to turn Green into a PF. Someone make a list of possible options via trade for guys making what Green makes. There was a tweet mentioning guys like PJ Washington or Nikola Jović as possible options. Basically guys on similar, but longer contracts their current team might want to trade in a salary dump for an expiring.

If they can't find a team willing to trade for Green could they just cut him and sign a FA PF?

Oriole81 wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2026 12:52 pm

A$$MAN wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2026 12:50 pm Connelly needs to find a way to turn Green into a PF. Someone make a list of possible options via trade for guys making what Green makes. There was a tweet mentioning guys like PJ Washington or Nikola Jović as possible options. Basically guys on similar, but longer contracts their current team might want to trade in a salary dump for an expiring.

I think you can also add in Donte's expiring for that, and go for a $25M or so guy.

Unless DD is added to the original deal, I don't think Green can be combined with another player in a separate trade once we acquire him.

ForCaleb wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2026 12:10 pm

weimy froob wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2026 12:00 pm The LaMelo Ball Trade Already Feels Like the Luka Doncic Mistake Dallas Made
The timing, the return, and the reaction all mirror the blockbuster trade from a year ago.

https://www.si.com/nba/hornets/onsi/the ... allas-made

The Hornets felt like they were close to a full rebuild and making a run in the East....And they still might be close with Coby White extending.

I really think Ant wanted this to happen and it couldn't have been done without trading Randle.

But but I thought it was Broke Ass Arod and Lore pinching pennies by trading Randle.

ForCaleb wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2026 1:11 pm

A$$MAN wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2026 12:50 pm Connelly needs to find a way to turn Green into a PF. Someone make a list of possible options via trade for guys making what Green makes. There was a tweet mentioning guys like PJ Washington or Nikola Jović as possible options. Basically guys on similar, but longer contracts their current team might want to trade in a salary dump for an expiring.

If they can't find a team willing to trade for Green could they just cut him and sign a FA PF?

Green is a useful player so need to cut him. The problem is he's another wing that is less needed on this team. We need to add a couple of bigs with limited assets. Hopefully Green's expiring can get us one.

A$$MAN wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2026 1:11 pm

Oriole81 wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2026 12:52 pm

A$$MAN wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2026 12:50 pm Connelly needs to find a way to turn Green into a PF. Someone make a list of possible options via trade for guys making what Green makes. There was a tweet mentioning guys like PJ Washington or Nikola Jović as possible options. Basically guys on similar, but longer contracts their current team might want to trade in a salary dump for an expiring.

I think you can also add in Donte's expiring for that, and go for a $25M or so guy.

Unless DD is added to the original deal, I don't think Green can be combined with another player in a separate trade once we acquire him.

Well as long as we have room, we can absorb a larger contract coming in then going out.

Does anybody have info on what our payroll looks like post trade?

aztimberwolves wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2026 1:14 pm

ForCaleb wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2026 12:10 pm

weimy froob wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2026 12:00 pm The LaMelo Ball Trade Already Feels Like the Luka Doncic Mistake Dallas Made
The timing, the return, and the reaction all mirror the blockbuster trade from a year ago.

https://www.si.com/nba/hornets/onsi/the ... allas-made

The Hornets felt like they were close to a full rebuild and making a run in the East....And they still might be close with Coby White extending.

I really think Ant wanted this to happen and it couldn't have been done without trading Randle.

But but I thought it was Broke Ass Arod and Lore pinching pennies by trading Randle.

Some people freaked out way too early. Like I said, free agency hasn't even started yet and some were acting like Connelly's off-season was complete.

aztimberwolves wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2026 1:15 pm

A$$MAN wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2026 1:11 pm

Oriole81 wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2026 12:52 pm

I think you can also add in Donte's expiring for that, and go for a $25M or so guy.

Unless DD is added to the original deal, I don't think Green can be combined with another player in a separate trade once we acquire him.

Well as long as we have room, we can absorb a larger contract coming in then going out.

Does anybody have info on what our payroll looks like post trade?

We are right back where we started. In the first apron, just below the 2nd. I don't think we can absorb a larger contract.

Precious Achiuwa Might be an affordable guy to add as a SF/PF tweener. Averaged 10 points and just under 7 boards for Sacramento last year.

Small Hands wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2026 1:19 pm Precious Achiuwa Might be an affordable guy to add as a SF/PF tweener. Averaged 10 points and just under 7 boards for Sacramento last year.

Is he a free agent? Or trade target? Another guy they should look at is Jeremy Sochan. We could use a couple of high energy, defensive minded guys like this.

aztimberwolves wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2026 1:14 pm

ForCaleb wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2026 12:10 pm

weimy froob wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2026 12:00 pm The LaMelo Ball Trade Already Feels Like the Luka Doncic Mistake Dallas Made
The timing, the return, and the reaction all mirror the blockbuster trade from a year ago.

https://www.si.com/nba/hornets/onsi/the ... allas-made

The Hornets felt like they were close to a full rebuild and making a run in the East....And they still might be close with Coby White extending.

I really think Ant wanted this to happen and it couldn't have been done without trading Randle.

But but I thought it was Broke Ass Arod and Lore pinching pennies by trading Randle.

That NEVER came from me. I knew Connelly was going to be aggressive this offseason....Obviously didn't know what exactly that would look like.

A$$MAN wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2026 1:23 pm

Small Hands wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2026 1:19 pm Precious Achiuwa Might be an affordable guy to add as a SF/PF tweener. Averaged 10 points and just under 7 boards for Sacramento last year.

Is he a free agent? Or trade target? Another guy they should look at is Jeremy Sochan. We could use a couple of high energy, defensive minded guys like this.

He’s an UFA. He’s 6’8” 243. Former 1st round pick. Spotrac has his market value under $3 million. Must not play defense.

Edit: hmmmm he has a 119 defensive rating. This might be our guy