BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – Former LSU standout Naz Reid is on the move after becoming one of the NBA’s top undrafted success stories.
The Minnesota Timberwolves agreed to trade Reid, a 2033 first-round pick, three second-round picks and three first-round pick swaps to the Charlotte Hornets for LaMelo Ball and Josh Green, according to multiple reports.
The deal sends Reid to Charlotte after seven seasons in Minnesota, where he grew from an undrafted free agent out of LSU into one of the NBA’s most popular reserves.
Reid, 26, averaged 13.6 points and 6.2 rebounds this past season for the Timberwolves. He also entered the offseason as a career 37.1% shooter from 3-point range.
FILE – Minnesota Timberwolves center Naz Reid stands on the court during the first half of Game 3 of a NBA basketball second-round playoff series against the San Antonio Spurs, May 8, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr, file)(Abbie Parr | AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Reid played one season at LSU during the 2018-19 season, helping the Tigers win the SEC regular-season championship and reach the Sweet 16. He went undrafted in 2019 before signing with Minnesota.
From there, Reid turned himself into a rotation player, then a fan favorite, then the 2024 NBA Sixth Man of the Year. He became the first Timberwolves player to win the award.
Reid’s rise in Minnesota was built on development. He reshaped his body, expanded his offensive game and became a versatile big man capable of playing multiple frontcourt roles. His combination of ballhandling, 3-point shooting and scoring made him one of the Timberwolves’ most trusted bench players.
He also became one of Minnesota’s most beloved players. Fans embraced Reid during the Timberwolves’ rise in the Western Conference.
FILE – This photo combination shows, from left, Charlotte Hornets guard Josh Green (10), Feb. 22, 2026, in Washington, Minnesota Timberwolves center Naz Reid, May 8, 2026, in Minneapolis and Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball in Charlotte, N.C., April 14, 2026 (AP Photo/Nick Wass, Abbie Parr, Nell Redmond, file)(Nick Wass Abbie Parr Nell Redmon | AP Photo/Nick Wass Abbie Parr Ne)
Now, Reid joins a Charlotte team making a major roster reset.
The Hornets are trading Ball, the former Rookie of the Year and one-time All-Star, after six seasons with the franchise. Ball averaged 20.1 points and 7.1 assists last season as Charlotte finished 44-38 and reached the Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament.
Charlotte will also receive an unprotected 2033 first-round pick, second-round picks in 2029, 2032 and 2033, and first-round pick swaps in 2028, 2029 and 2030.
The move gives the Hornets another frontcourt piece while shifting more of the franchise’s focus toward Brandon Miller, Kon Knueppel and other young players.
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