Wolves Fans are Feeling Positive about the LaMelo Ball Trade

Heading into the summer, just about every Timberwolves fan had their own dream offseason mapped out. Some wanted Tim Connelly to swing for the fences one more time and somehow pry Giannis Antetokounmpo loose if Milwaukee finally decided to tear things down. Others talked themselves into buying low on former superstars whose value had cratered. Zion Williamson was one of those names that kept resurfacing. While Ja Morant found his way into plenty of hypothetical trade machines. Personally, I kept coming back to Kyrie Irving. Dallas looked like a franchise pivoting toward Cooper Flagg, and if there was one glaring weakness on Minnesota’s roster after another deep playoff run, it was the absence of a true point guard capable of organizing the offense, taking pressure off Anthony Edwards, and punishing defenses for selling out to stop him. It all seemed logical enough.

Then Tim Connelly went completely off-script.

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Instead of chasing the names everyone expected, he started by moving Julius Randle to Brooklyn in what, at first glance, looked almost depressing. Wolves fans had spent months debating which star Minnesota could bring back in exchange for Randle. Instead, Randle was moved for financial flexibility, with the Wolves clearing salary and taking a modest step back in the draft from No. 28 to No. 33.

Just a few days later, Connelly pushed the entire table over. Naz Reid, arguably the most beloved role player this franchise has ever had, was headed to Charlotte along with future draft considerations. Coming back to Minnesota was LaMelo Ball.

Until the rumors began surfacing just a few days earlier, I don’t think many people honestly believed Ball was available. Charlotte had quietly become one of the NBA’s most entertaining young teams during the second half of last season. They made a legitimate push that sent them to the Play-In Tournament, and with Ball finally healthy, it looked as though the Hornets had every reason to continue building around him. Instead, Charlotte apparently decided they were selling at peak value, cashing in on their franchise cornerstone before his market had a chance…

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Publish date : 2026-07-12 13:00:00

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