The Charlotte Hornets traded away LaMelo Ball \u2014 their most popular but polarized possession \u2014 on Thursday morning.<\/p>\n
Read more Charlotte burger chain expands with new Lake Norman restaurant. When does it open?<\/a><\/p>\n And the move set the internet ablaze.<\/p>\n Former NBA players, league personalities, Hornets fans and many others weighed in on the front office\u2019s decision to move on from Ball<\/a>, the 24-year-old exuberant star.<\/p>\n Some thought the move was foolish. Others expressed that the Hornets couldn\u2019t be a winner with Ball as its leader. Some prayed that this could pave the way for another massive move the Hornets could make, what with them having the largest trade exception in league history \u2014 upward of $40 million<\/a>.<\/p>\n But most dwelt somewhere in the middle. They\u2019re unhappy that the 6-foot-7, 180-pound point guard who averaged 20.1 points, 7.1 steals and 4.8 rebounds is gone; they\u2019re also intrigued by what this could mean for the future of Charlotte, a franchise that made the play-in tournament last year but hasn\u2019t made the playoffs since 2015-16.<\/p>\n Here are some highlights from commentary around the league.<\/p>\n Miles Bridges,<\/a> who has had a front row seat to Ball\u2019s ascension in the league for the past several years, took to Instagram to react to Ball being traded.<\/p>\n \u201cMy brotha, my best friend, can\u2019t believe this is real,\u201d Bridges wrote over a highlight that involved Ball throwing up an alley-oop to him. \u201cLove gang.\u201d<\/p>\n Miles Bridges reacts to the LaMelo Ball trade on IG: “My brotha, My Bestfriend, can’t believe this is real. Love gang” pic.twitter.com\/V13AgP4zpg<\/a><\/p>\n Jeff Teague, a former NBA guard and Wake Forest star, explained on his popular podcast Club 520 that the trade for the Hornets could enable Kon Kneuppel and Brandon Miller to take the next steps in their NBA careers.<\/p>\n He also has an interesting idea … involving Miles Bridges.<\/p>\n \u201cBut it\u2019s actually good because I think we\u2019re going to see Brandon Miller become the player we think he can be,\u201d Teague said. \u201cI really think Brandon Miller can be a Top 3 shooting guard in the league. He and Kon Knueppel as your featured players.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know what they do with Miles Bridges. Mixtape Miles. I would love for him to go to Detroit. I feel like he fits the whole vibe up there.\u201d<\/p>\n Jeff Teague says Brandon Miller can be at top three shooting guard in the league next year with LaMelo Ball being traded:<\/p>\n \u201cHim and Kon Knueppel they about to be the featured players\u2026. He got the potential he averaged 20 last year, and he going to have more of a passer, not\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/YXPSn6bl7R<\/a><\/p>\n Nick Wright, the vaunted analyst for FOX Sports, did not hold back in his applauding of the Hornets\u2019 decision to part ways with Ball. He said the trade is a win for the Hornets.<\/p>\n \u201cCongratulations to the Charlotte Hornets for making a tough decision when they needed to make it,\u201d Wright said. \u201cAnd having a chance to move forward with Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller and build around that team rather than being attached to who I believe to be, while exciting, an unserious, injury-prone player \u2014 who in about two weeks was going to expect, understandably, (an extension).\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCongratulations to the Charlotte Hornets for making a tough decision when they needed to make it\u2026 I don\u2019t understand what Minnesota is doing, even if you like the talent more than I do in LaMelo Ball.\u201d@getnickwright<\/a> reacts to LaMelo being traded to the T-Wolves for Naz Reid: pic.twitter.com\/JBfM16bbja<\/a><\/p>\n Kevin O\u2019Connor, Yahoo sports podcaster and writer, is fascinated by the trade on both sides. He doesn\u2019t seem to mind all Charlotte gave up for Ball.<\/p>\n Read more Why does it cost so much to eat out anymore? Charlotte chefs blame \u2018economic whack-a-mole\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cHornets have totally reshaped that frontcourt between the draft and this trade,\u201d O\u2019Connor wrote on X. \u201cNaz Reid is an incredible fit for this offense. Diabate, Steinbach, Kalkbrenner, Naz Reid. Can shape-shift to play so many different styles. And now sitting on so much draft capital for the future too.\u201d<\/p>\n Pretty wild deal. <\/p>\n -Wolves raise their ceiling with LaMelo. Incredibly risky though given LaMelo’s durability issues. Gonna be fun at the least watching Melo\/Ant. I don’t think the Wolves are quite done making moves either…stay tuned.<\/p>\n -Hornets have totally reshaped that\u2026 https:\/\/t.co\/W9mGXb8dyN<\/a><\/p>\n Jon Metler, who talks NBA for Covers, thinks that it isn\u2019t inconceivable for the Hornets to flip this trade and acquire Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown. Check his reasoning below.<\/p>\n For what it\u2019s worth, Charlotte Observer Hornets reporter Rod Boone and columnist Scott Fowler have each written about such a possibility.<\/p>\n Pretty wild deal. <\/p>\n -Wolves raise their ceiling with LaMelo. Incredibly risky though given LaMelo’s durability issues. Gonna be fun at the least watching Melo\/Ant. I don’t think the Wolves are quite done making moves either…stay tuned.<\/p>\n -Hornets have totally reshaped that\u2026 https:\/\/t.co\/W9mGXb8dyN<\/a><\/p>\n ESPN, The Athletic, Yahoo Sports and Bleacher Report all have the Hornets coming out of this trade with their \u201chigher grades,\u201d as this below post points out. Explanations for those grades can be found at each of their websites.<\/p>\n Grading the LaMelo Ball-Naz Reid trade between the Charlotte Hornets and Minnesota Timberwolves… \ud83e\udd14<\/p>\n ESPN The Athletic Yahoo Sports Bleacher Report Now, that\u2019s a lot of measured positivity. A lot of cautious optimism. Meanwhile, Hornets fans didn\u2019t exactly share in that on Thursday.<\/p>\n One fan, driving through uptown, offered an interview with WCNC\u2019s Nick Carboni while he was in the driver\u2019s seat of his car and voiced his … well … displeasure.<\/p>\n \u201cTrading LaMelo Ball from the Hornets?\u201d one fan began. \u201cThat\u2019s like trading Michael Jordan off the Chicago Bulls. Y\u2019all already didn\u2019t give us Kobe Bryant. Y\u2019all keep messing up the team chemistry. He was the hottest on the team. He brought us all the ticket sales. He made the most points on the team. It was nobody else better than him.\u201d<\/p>\n He then pointed to Spectrum Center, where his car sat right outside: \u201cHe made us want to come here. … Bring back LaMelo! Reverse the trade!\u201d<\/p>\n People are not happy pic.twitter.com\/kNwxSizuCA<\/a><\/p>\n Others shared in the catharsis, too \u2014 some resorting to jokes about the hectic postgame interviews Anthony Edwards and Ball furnished, some resorting to utter confusion.<\/p>\n The Minnesota Timberwolves PR team department seeing lamelo ball get paired up with Anthony Edwards pic.twitter.com\/sF15FGKPN6<\/a><\/p>\n Hornets really had Melo, B Miller, Kon Knueppel, Miles Bridges and Moses Diabete winning every game after the All-Star break and giving the team culture + identity. The first time in the teams history. This LaMelo trade is just confusing<\/p>\n Read more Popular restaurant and lounge temporarily closes in Charlotte. \u2018A brief pause\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n
\u2014 Hornets: B-
\u2014 Wolves: D+<\/p>\n
\u2014 Hornets: A-
\u2014 Wolves: D+<\/p>\n
\u2014 Hornets: A
\u2014 Wolves: C<\/p>\n
\u2014 Hornets: B+
\u2014 Wolves: B- pic.twitter.com\/QsuY9qSUVT<\/a><\/p>\n