LaMelo Ball was once considered the face of the franchise for the Charlotte Hornets. He was expected to be a key part of the team’s turnaround and after their success last year, the arrow looked like it was finally pointed in the right direction.
That good feeling lasted about two months, as the Hornets moved fairly quickly to move on from the All-Star point guard, with rumors surfacing last week and a deal being done a day later with the Timberwolves.
Now, Minnesota has a legit point guard next to Anthony Edwards, and Charlotte has a real stretch big in Naz Reid and more draft capital. However, there is one clear winner in this transaction.
The Wolves come out as winners in the LaMelo Ball trade
Minnesota looking for a premier point guard has been one of the NBA’s worst-kept secrets over the last few seasons. They struck out on almost all of them, but they were able to land Ball.
The knock on Ball has been that he played an unserious brand of basketball, but during the last two seasons under Charles Lee, he has become a smarter player. He was the offensive engine for the Hornets last year, making the lives of Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller easier.
Charlotte had a 125.0 offensive rating with Ball on the court, compared to 113.4 without him. Their effective field-goal percentage went from 57.2 percent with him on the court to 52.7 percent without him. He was the only guy on the team that could generate quality looks for others consistently.
That is the kind of player the Wolves are getting. Ball will make the lives of everyone easier. Edwards, who is already one of the NBA’s best shooters, will benefit from the attention and gravity Ball has, and will get easier looks. Jaden McDaniels, Rudy Gobert, and Ayo Dosumnu will live off of easy dunks and layups. Ball was the exact player Minnesota was missing, because offense felt like a chore at times last season.
For the Hornets, it’s tough to see what the plan is. Yes, building around Knueppel and Miller should be the focus, but they are going to need a point guard next to them. Coby White is the team’s starting point guard now and he is better suited as an off-ball player. Charlotte leaning into their shooting prowess is definitely a smart move, but with the glaring lack of point guard, it will be tougher than it was last year.
Overall, this was a great move for the Wolves. They now have a lethal backcourt duo that makes them a serious player out West. The Hornets came out fairly nicely too, but they definitely need to make another move for a veteran floor general.