Updated

Updated · Yahoo Sports · Jun 26

Timberwolves Explored Jaylen Brown Trade Before Landing LaMelo Ball, Eyeing Lower-Cost Fit

Updated

Updated · Yahoo Sports · Jun 26

Timberwolves Explored Jaylen Brown Trade Before Landing LaMelo Ball, Eyeing Lower-Cost Fit

Q: Did Minnesota just form the NBA's next great backcourt or gamble its future on an injury-prone star?

Minnesota did both: it likely created one of the NBA’s most dangerous young backcourts, but only by taking a major health and asset risk. On talent and fit, the move makes clear sense. The Timberwolves needed a true lead guard, and LaMelo Ball gives Anthony Edwards something Minnesota has lacked: a high-level shot creator and playmaker who can organize offense, push tempo and punish double teams. Ball averaged 20.1 points, 7.1 assists and 4.8 rebounds in 72 games last season, and league evaluators still view him as one of the NBA’s best offensive engines. At 25, with Edwards and Jaden McDaniels on a similar timeline, he fits Minnesota’s long-term core better than an older, more expensive Jaylen Brown package would have. The gamble is just as real. Ball has missed 30 or more games in four of his six seasons and played only 57% of possible games over the previous three years before his healthier 2025-26 campaign. Charlotte’s willingness to move him suggests the Hornets were wary of both his durability and the next contract decision. Minnesota also paid heavily: Naz Reid, an unprotected 2033 first, three first-round swaps and three seconds. That is a steep price for a player with Ball’s injury history and uneven track record on winning teams. The trade raises Minnesota’s ceiling immediately, especially if Ball stays on the floor. But because of the cost, the hard-cap pressure and Ball’s medical history, this is less a safe team-building move than a calculated championship swing.

3 articles · Updated · Yahoo Sports · Jun 26

Minnesota discussed a trade for Jaylen Brown with Boston before completing its deal for Hornets guard LaMelo Ball on June 25, according to New York Times reporter John Krawczynski.
The Timberwolves ultimately viewed Ball as a better fit for their needs and likely available for less outgoing compensation than Brown, whose price appears to have been steep.
Boston's willingness to hear Brown inquiries is being watched closely after the Celtics' failed pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo, though any serious move would likely require a major return.
The sequence suggests Minnesota prioritized roster fit and trade cost over chasing the more established star, while Brown's status in Boston remains a live point of league interest.