LaMelo Ball is headed to Minnesota. Now the internet wants to know whether Lonzo Ball is coming with him.
According to USA Today, the Timberwolves officially landed LaMelo in a blockbuster four-team trade, giving Anthony Edwards a 6-foot-7 playmaker with limitless passing range and a green light from nearly anywhere on the court. Minnesota acquired Ball, Josh Green and the No. 33 pick from Charlotte while sending fan favorite Naz Reid and a stack of draft assets to the Hornets.
The move puts the first and third picks of the 2020 NBA Draft in the same backcourt. Edwards supplies the power, downhill scoring, and physicality. LaMelo brings the tempo, deep shooting, and passes most guards would never attempt. He averaged 20.1 points and 7.1 assists over 72 games last season, his healthiest campaign in years.
But the Ball family reunion is not official. Unverified social media accounts have claimed Lonzo signed a one-year deal with Minnesota, but there has been no announcement from the Timberwolves or confirmation from a credible NBA reporter. Lonzo remains a free agent after playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers last season and briefly landing with the Utah Jazz, who waived him in February.
Lonzo certainly likes what Minnesota is building. On the Ball in the Family podcast, he ranked the Timberwolves as the third-best team in the Western Conference and argued that LaMelo and Edwards are the conference’s two best players under 25. “I think this is a great fit for him,” Lonzo said.
Before knee injuries derailed his career, Lonzo looked like the kind of guard who could fit almost anywhere. He defended multiple positions, rebounded well for his size, and pushed the ball without dominating it. During his best two-year stretch with the New Orleans Pelicans, he averaged 13.1 points, 6.4 assists, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.4 steals. But three knee surgeries in 14 months cost him two full seasons, and he has appeared in only 70 games since returning.
LaMelo has his own concerns. His shot selection can get loose, his defense runs hot and cold, and his durability has followed him throughout his career. Still, Minnesota just bet big that his playmaking can unlock another level beside Edwards.
As for Lonzo? He may approve of the fit, and social media may already have him packing his bags. But until a real deal surfaces, Minnesota has one Ball brother—and one very loud rumor.