DHJ Quick Take: Timberwolves Aggressively Pursuing LaMelo Ball Trade
The Minnesota Timberwolves are aggressively pursuing a trade for Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball, sources told Dallas Hoops Journal, with the Toronto Raptors also among the confirmed suitors.
- Who are the Timberwolves targeting? Minnesota is pursuing LaMelo Ball to pair a high-end shot creator alongside Anthony Edwards.
- Why would a deal be complicated? Ball’s $40.8 million salary for 2026-27 sits above Minnesota’s $33.3 million trade exception, forcing the Timberwolves to aggregate salary in a package built around Rudy Gobert.
- Where does Charlotte stand? The Hornets have shown no urgency to move Ball and have resisted breaking up a young core built around Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel.
- What else is Minnesota weighing? The Timberwolves view Kyrie Irving favorably but are not believed to have interest in Ja Morant, with Dallas not currently willing to trade Irving.
The Minnesota Timberwolves are aggressively pursuing a trade for Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball, sources told Dallas Hoops Journal, with the franchise prioritizing a high-end shot creator to pair alongside Anthony Edwards ahead of the 2026 NBA Draft.
Minnesota previously gauged Charlotte’s willingness to part with Ball at the February trade deadline, sources told Dallas Hoops Journal, but the Hornets declined to engage.
General manager Jeff Peterson has resisted breaking up a young core built around the wing tandem of Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel, and Charlotte has shown no urgency to move Ball. The Toronto Raptors are also among the confirmed suitors, according to sources, with their interest also predating the offseason.
Ball, the No. 3 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft and the 2021 NBA Rookie of the Year, has faced durability questions throughout his career but stayed healthy this past season, appearing in 72 games. His salary climbs to $46.4 million by 2028-29. The one-time All-Star averaged 20.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 7.1 assists in 28.0 minutes per game, shooting 36.8% from 3-point range.
The Salary Math
Ball is owed $40.8 million in 2026-27, above the exception. A deal would not come easily. Less than 24 hours before the draft, the Timberwolves agreed to send Julius Randle and the No. 28 pick to the Brooklyn Nets for No. 33, a move that cleared salary and is set to generate a $33.3 million trade exception but removed the contract that had anchored most prior frameworks for acquiring Ball. The exception would not be possible to absorb Ball’s salary on its own. However, from a financial perspective, another possibility is to expand the agreed-upon trade to make salary matching much easier.
If the Randle trade isn’t expanded, Minnesota could face a scenario in which aggregating salary in a deal built around Rudy Gobert becomes necessary. An alternative scenario would be complicated and could require involving either Jaden McDaniels or Naz Reid to make it legal financially.
Minnesota’s Other Targets
Ball is one of several guards Minnesota has weighed since its second-round exit against the San Antonio Spurs. The Timberwolves are not believed to have interest in Ja Morant, according to sources.
Minnesota views Kyrie Irving favorably as a target, sources told Dallas Hoops Journal, but the Dallas Mavericks are considered unlikely to trade him.
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