No matter what your perception of LaMelo Ball is, one thing is crystal clear and has been for some time. The Minnesota Timberwolves have severely lacked elite point guard play for years now, and LaMelo is the best guard that Anthony Edwards has ever played with.
Sure, there are some questions. Will he be a huge weak link on defense? Can he stay healthy consistently? Is his shot selection going to improve in a different environment? But it's no coincidence that the aspects of the game Ball is elite at are what the Wolves have sorely lacked the last few seasons.
So the Wolves got better at an aspect of basketball that they weren't great at, and yet, received a D+ on ESPN's trade grade? Make it make sense.
The Wolves didn't give up a whole lot for LaMelo Ball
When Shams Charania tweeted the trade details, at first look, it looks like the Wolves gave up a treasure trove of draft capital, along with fan favorite Naz Reid. But once you look at the details of the draft capital, you realize that a lot of that won't amount to much.
The only extremely valuable pick they gave up was the 2033 unprotected first-round pick. But the picks from 2028-2030 are pick swaps, with 2028 being the only outright swap (meaning it won't convey if the Wolves are better than the Hornets) and the other two being the worst from multiple teams. There were also three second-round picks, and seconds have some value, but when trading for an All-Star, they really don't.
The ESPN article talks about "staking the future on LaMelo Ball". This couldn't be more wrong.
The Wolves have an incredibly good young core that's simultaneously a win-now team. Ball is 24, Ant is 24, Jaden McDaniels is 25, Joan Beringer is 19, Ayo Dosunmu is 26, Terrence Shannon Jr. is 25, and Isaiah Evans is 20. It's misleading to say they risked their future when their entire core is below 26 years old.
The Wolves deserve an A for this trade
Out of all of the question marks to have relating to this trade, Ball's health is probably number one. However, the Wolves have the Mayo Clinic on their doorstep, with a notoriously good medical team. They also have an elite roster infrastructure, where Ball might not be so taxed on either side of the ball.
Boiling down to the root of the trade, the Wolves acquired a young all-star point guard and one of the best shooters and playmakers in the entire NBA for their sixth man (we all love Naz, but he hasn't even been a full-time starter yet), one unprotected pick, and some swaps that don't hold much value.
So a D+ for the Wolves simply isn't correct, and it's genuinely laughable. Opinions aside, they paid a low-ish price for a player who has one of the highest ceilings in the game. You get an A from me, Tim Connelly.
