The Minnesota Timberwolves gave up a lot to bring LaMelo Ball to town. They paired him alongside Anthony Edwards, forming the organization’s new star duo. But just a week or so later, the Philadelphia 76ers traded for Jaylen Brown, paying much less than what the Wolves gave up for Ball. It makes the Ball trade look even worse.
When the Ball trade happened, there were some people who criticized the Wolves for it. There were rumblings that Minnesota gave up way too much for a relatively injury-prone star who struggles on the defensive end and often takes bad shots. Meanwhile, the 76ers landed Brown for a package highlighted by a 36-year-old George, who is on one of the worst contracts in the NBA.
It just makes the Wolves’ monster offer for Ball look all the more questionable.
Jaylen Brown trade makes Wolves' LaMelo Ball package look bad
In total, the Wolves gave up a first-round pick, three first-round pick swaps, and three second-round picks for Ball. And on top of that, the Wolves sent out Naz Reid.
Reid is one of the best backup big men in the league, and he will likely slot in nicely as the Charlotte Hornets’ starting power forward moving forward. He’s a great NBA player on a solid contract.
Now, none of this is to say that Ball is a bad player. He should fit in nicely in Minnesota next to Anthony Edwards. But he is a flawed player. He’s imperfect, and the Wolves effectively bet their entire future on him.
Meanwhile, the 76ers added an All-NBA Second Team guy – who finished sixth in MVP voting – for two first-rounders, two second-rounders, and one of the worst contracts in the league.
There’s a reason the Sixers hadn’t traded George before this deal. He’s a negative asset. They probably would have had to attach picks to him to offload his contract.
What if the Wolves had waited to trade Julius Randle? Could they have shipped him to the Brooklyn Nets, Reid to the Celtics, and maybe just one first and one swap to the Celtics?Â
Would giving up that package for Brown have been better than trading everything they did for Ball? The Wolves would definitely have a lot more flexibility by now.
The Celtics reportedly asked for Rudy Gobert, Reid, and a lot of firsts from Minnesota, but based on the deal they eventually took, it’s clear their asking price went down.
And when you compare the Brown trade to the Ball trade, it’s hard not to question how much Minnesota handed the Hornets.
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