The Charlotte Hornets’ decision to move LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Naz Reid and draft capital is looking worse by the day, and the latest trade buzz around Reid only sharpens that picture.
According to Timberwolves lead insider Jon Krawczynski on his podcast, “The possibilities of Reid getting traded again are very high” because Charlotte’s roster is still far from contention and Reid has value around the league. If that happens, the Hornets would be left having dealt a young franchise point guard for a player who may not be part of their long-term plans.
That’s a brutal place to be for a team already stuck in a rough season. Charlotte has been the worst offense in the NBA so far, and while injuries have played a role, they don’t explain everything. Brandon Miller has struggled badly with efficiency as the No. 1 option, and Reid is shooting a career-worst from the field.
Minnesota, meanwhile, has looked like it won the deal in a landslide. The Timberwolves have been one of the best teams in the league, and Ball has helped keep the offense humming even with Anthony Edwards sidelined. The fit has been obvious from the start: Minnesota got a younger, better player at a major position of need.
At the time, the logic seemed clear enough. The Wolves were landing the kind of point guard they needed, while Charlotte was coming off its most successful season in a decade and still chose to move on from the player who had driven that success. That call is aging badly.
Reid still has supporters in Wolves Nation, but the reality is hard to ignore. He never became a full-time starter in seven seasons in Minnesota, and for all his offensive talent, his defense has always been a question. The Wolves were able to turn him into an All-NBA-caliber point guard and only one true unprotected first-round pick.
That’s the kind of return that looks better with every passing day. If Charlotte is already exploring the idea of moving Reid again, it only adds to the sense that Minnesota pulled off a deadline steal while the Hornets are left sorting through the wreckage.
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Timberwolves Defense Is Forcing A Bigger Conversation About Their Ceiling
The early shape of Minnesotas season has been defined by a defense that has given opponents very little room to breathe. Even with Anthony Edwards missing several games, the Timberwolves have built an 8-3 start on the back of a unit that has consistently bothered ballhandlers, closed off clean looks from deep and made every possession feel like a grind.
What makes it more interesting is that this is no longer just about surviving while the offense finds its footing. The Wolves have been good enough on that end to force a bigger conversation about how high their ceiling can go if the defensive standard holds, especially once the roster is whole and the attack catches up. [Read more 🡒]
Ayo Dosunmu Explained Whats Fueling His Timberwolves Surge
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Chris Finch and Dosunmu both pointed to the same broader theme behind the uptick: the way the offense is opening up around him. With Rudy Gobert setting strong screens and helping create cleaner looks at the rim, Dosunmu has found more room to operate and more chances to attack in rhythm. For a Timberwolves team trying to keep its footing through an injury-driven shuffle, that kind of fit matters, even if the full picture of how long it lasts is still to be determined. [Read more 🡒]
Timberwolves Make A Frontcourt Move With Anthony Edwards Still Out
With Anthony Edwards still sidelined by a knee injury, the Timberwolves have added some frontcourt depth as they try to keep their strong start rolling. Minnesota brought in Johni Broome on a two-way deal, a move that gives the club another developmental big while it waits for one of its top scorers to return.
Broome arrives with some recent NBA experience after spending time with the 76ers and Clippers, and he was the 35th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. For a Wolves team trying to hold steady through Edwards absence, the addition is a low-risk way to shore up the roster and see whether Broome can carve out a role while the lineup is in flux. [Read more 🡒]