Controversial adult film star and content creator Bonnie Blue says she has just welcomed her first child.
As reported by British tabloid Metro, the 27-year-old ***** worker said she gave birth via C-section last week at the Lindo Wing at St Mary's Hospital in London, the United Kingdom. Bonnie, who has appeared visibly pregnant in posts shared on social media for the past few months, said that she was originally not due to give birth until October. "I love being a mother, and knowing the life I can provide for my child makes it even more magical," she added.
Bonnie, real name Tia Billinger, shared that she had wanted to have a child with her estranged husband for "years and years." Earlier in 2016, she hosted a "breeding event," where she said she had unprotected ***** with approximately 400 men. While her baby is said to have arrived prematurely, she noted that she's been reassured they're in good health.
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"My baby is here," she captioned a video shared to TikTok, which was made while she was sat on a toilet, drinking Pepsi, and eating toast.

#birth

APHoops: The Clippers spoke with the Raptors last night and both sides intend to follow through with the Leonard trade, per ShamsCharania . LA will receive: • Brandon Ingram • Gradey **** • 2027 first-round pick swap • 2031 unprotected first-round pick • 2033 unprotected first-round pick • 2030 second-round pick • 2033 second-round pick
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: The Clippers spoke with the Raptors last night and …

#round #clippers #spoke #unprotected

Yesterday was a really bad day for the Los Angeles Clippers. The NBA found the franchise guilty of salary-cap circumvention in the Kawhi Leonard case, stripped them of five first-round picks from 2029 through 2033, fined the team $30.0 million, suspended Steve Ballmer for one year, and suspended Lawrence Frank for six months. Leonard was also fined $700,000, incredibly escaping barely harmed in all of this.
The one piece of good news, if we can even call it that, is that the league didn't block Leonard's move back to the Raptors. That trade had been on hold while the investigation was happening, and with the case now finished, the deal can move forward. Toronto had agreed to send Brandon Ingram, Gradey ****** , two unprotected first-round picks, two second-round picks, and a 2027 first-round pick swap for Leonard.
Those five lost first-round picks hurt the most. The Clippers were finally getting close to controlling their own future again starting in 2029, but now they won't make a first-round selection with one of those picks until 2034, although they should get the Raptors' 2031 and 2033 picks. Still, for a team entering a rebuild, that is brutal. Tanking doesn't help much when there is basically no first-round pick waiting for you at the end of the season, since the 2027 pick swap from Toronto is the worst one among the Raptors, the Clippers, and the Thunder, and the 2028 pick goes entirely to OKC.
So if the Clippers can't rely on landing a future franchise player through the Draft, and they also can't use any of their upcoming first-round picks as trade ****** ets since they belong to other teams, they will have to get creative. There are still other ways to find young talent, from taking chances on former high picks to using cap ****** e, trades, the G League, and overlooked free agents.
With almost a decade of Draft problems ahead of them, here are five different ways the Clippers can try to survive this rebuild and find young players without waiting until 2034.

#raptors

Today in Boston Celtics history, Emmette "Em" Bryant (before you ask, he is not related to Kobe Bryant), was traded to the Boston Celtics from the Phoenix Suns in 1968 in exchange for a second-round draft pick in the 1969 NBA Draft.
Bryant hailed from Chicago, Illinois, and played his collegiate basketball at DePaul University with the Blue Demons men's basketball program. His performance there attracted him some national attention, leading to his selection as the 53rd overall pick in the seventh round of the 1964 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks, during a time when the annual summer event included many more rounds than it does today. He played four seasons with New York before being taken by the Suns in the 1968 expansion draft held to populate their roster and that of the Milwaukee Bucks, two new teams joining the NBA that year.
Bryant never suited up for Phoenix, however, with fate having other plans for his career.
The new NBA franchise instead turned around and dealt the DePaul alum to the Celtics on this date. The former Knick would play 151 games over two seasons with Boston between 1968 and 1970, winning a ******* le with the Celtics in 1969.
He was again taken in an expansion draft in 1970, selected to join the newly-formed Buffalo Braves that year from Boston's unprotected players.

#boston #round

Following the Cleveland Cavaliers' swift and painful Eastern Conference finals exit at the hands of the eventual champion New York Knicks, an awkward offseason cloud hung eerily in the atmosphere. Not only was there a strong sense of doubt as to whether that iteration of the team could return to that stage from a basketball standpoint, but its future altogether was in question.
Three months later, at least one of those questions has been answered. Donovan Mitchell committed his future to the franchise, signing a four-year, $273 million extension. His running mate, James Harden, agreed to a three-year, $97 million fully guaranteed contract Thursday, sources told Yahoo Sports. And as of Wednesday night, another reinforcement arrived.
In the latest installment of the "Anything but the Knicks" campaign, the Cavaliers reportedly acquired restricted free-agent wing Peyton Watson in a sign-and-trade deal involving the Nuggets and Clippers. Sharpshooter Max Strus was sent to L.A.. and a 2031 unprotected first along with a 2032 second-rounder headed to Denver. Upon joining Cleveland, Watson will sign a four-year, $88 million contract.
(According to sources close to Harden, the veteran, having seen how rival teams in the conference had beefed up, is fully onboard with Watson's arrival and decided to delay his negotiations to give Cleveland the opportunity to upgrade its scoring and defense — while also keen to avoid a previous situation with the Clippers with non-guaranteed money on just a two-year deal.)
We'll get into what this all means for Cleveland shortly, but I can't quite grasp how fascinating this is from a Nuggets perspective. Typically, restricted free agents don't hold much leverage over their incumbent teams when it comes to negotiations (see Jalen Duren, Bennedict Mathurin, Tari Eason, the list goes on). But how and why Watson's situation played out differently is worth mentioning. The whispers of the 23-year-old's unhappiness with how Denver valued him, believing he should have been on par with teammate Christan Braun (earning $25 million annually) grew louder as the offseason dragged on, as well as the list of suitors eagerly waiting in the wings for an opportunity to capitalize. This, in conjunction with the Nuggets' limits on their financial flexibility and desire to generate some breathing room — thanks in large part to oddly matching a $12 million offer sheet for Spencer Jones and a realization of their own ceiling — created an environment in which Watson could land in a desired spot.

#knicks

The Los Angeles Lakers had one of the NBA's busiest offseasons, losing 22-time All-Star forward LeBron James at the outset of free agency before replacing him with a hodgepodge of players they felt could complement superstar guard Luka Dončić.
While LA has exhausted most of its resources to appease Dončić, including making an all-in push for a high-level starting center, franchise icon Shaquille O'Neal doesn't see a viable path to the 2027 NBA championship.
Despite its strong 53-win finish to the 2025-26 season, LA's ******* le contention hopes were thwarted by Dončić's absence (hamstring) throughout the 2026 playoffs. The shorthanded squad was forced to put an excessive workload on 41-year-old James en route to a second-round sweep at the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Lakers' inability to match up defensively against OKC and lack of complementary scoring options contributed to James seeking greener pastures in free agency. The four-time MVP announced his exit in late June, eventually opting to join the star-studded Philadelphia 76ers out East.
Looking to pick up the pieces, LA had significant money to work with this summer, with James' expiring $52.6 million contract coming off the books. Rob Pelinka and Co.'s biggest move came when they parted with unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033 and first-round swaps in 2028 and 2030 to land restricted free agent big man Walker Kessler from the Utah Jazz on a four-year, $130 million contract.

#star

The Los Angeles Clippers and the Toronto Raptors trade for Kawhi Leonard remains in limbo.
Leonard's seven-year tenure with the Clippers appeared to be over after he was traded to the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday, June 30.
The Raptors were going to send forward Brandon Ingram, guard Gradey ****** , two unprotected first-round picks (2031, 2033), two second-round picks (2030, 2033) and a 2027 first-round swap to Los Angeles.
Instead, both teams have put a halt to the trade, citing an ongoing investigation.
Leonard, Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, and Leonard's uncle/advisor Dennis Robertson are being investigated for their alleged involvement in a "no-show" agreement with a company, Aspiration, to funnel extra compensation to Leonard as part of a salary cap circumvention.

#raptors #leonard #toronto #picks

The NBA's investigation into how the Los Angeles Clippers paid Kawhi Leonard continues to keep his return to the Toronto Raptors in limbo.
The league is looking to see if the Clippers circumvented the salary cap to pay Leonard through a $28 million endorsement deal that he signed in 2022 with the now-bankrupt green banking company, Aspiration.
Toronto is trying to trade Brandon Ingram, Gradey ****** , unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, a 2027 first-round pick swap and two second-round selections to the Clippers.
Leonard led the Raptors to their one and only NBA championship in 2019.
The investigation could spill over into 2027, according to multiple reports. The Clippers and Raptors agreed to the trade on June 30 that has since been put on hold.

#clippers #leonard #trade

Duane Rankin: Phoenix Suns GM Brian Gregory on trading an unprotected 2033 first round pick to the Charlotte Hornets in landing Miles Bridges. "We feel very comfortable with the overall, all the different aspects of the trade, getting another first-round pick back. I remember multiple years ago, the question was we have no first-round picks, but that pick that we are acquired, we're now gonna have seven straight years of first-round picks. Who would have thought it? And an additional second-round pick in that as well. I think the one thing you have to look at when you're talking about an unprotected versus these favorable among two teams and different things like that, we're always gonna be good. So where are our draft picks gonna be? Especially with the new rules and all those different things? That pick value down the road was not the same as it was a year ago because of the changes in the draft lottery and different things like that. So we felt very comfortable. We thought it was a fair deal, but most importantly, we got Miles Bridges. So that, in my opinion, tipped the scales for us."
x.com
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: We thought it was a fair deal, but most importantly, …

#first #things

The Los Angeles Clippers and Toronto Raptors remain at a standstill regarding the proposed trade that would bring Kawhi Leonard back to Canada.
Leonard’s seven-year tenure with the Clippers ended after he was traded to the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday, June 30, for forward Brandon Ingram, guard Gradey ******* , two unprotected first-round picks (2031, 2033), two second-round picks (2030, 2033) and a 2027 first-round swap.
Both teams have since put a halt to the trade, citing the ongoing investigation surrounding Leonard, Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, and Leonard's uncle/advisor Dennis Robertson. All three men were allegedly involved in a “no-show” agreement with a company, Aspiration, to funnel extra compensation to the player as part of a salary cap circumvention.
There’s a belief that both sides are still willing to go through with the deal with the ******* umption that there will be limited consequences for the parties involved.
"My timeline remains this summer," NBA commissioner Adam Silver said when talking to reporters on Thursday, July 14. "... I'm not conducting the investigation … as I've said previously, we all have an interest in wrapping this up, and I most recently said in an interview that I am hopeful it will wrap up this summer and that will continue to be the goal here."

Walker Kessler understands the expectations that come with being a Los Angeles Laker.
After the Lakers made a major investment to acquire the 24-year-old center from the Utah Jazz, Kessler met with the media for the first time in Las Vegas on Monday and expressed his excitement about joining L.A.
The Lakers acquired Kessler in a blockbuster offseason trade on July 1, sending two unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033 and two first-round pick swaps in 2028 and 2030 to Utah in a sign-and-trade deal.
Shortly after the deal, Kessler agreed to a four-year, $130 million contract extension, showing how highly the organization views his future.
Kessler said knowing the Lakers' belief in him has motivated him even more entering this next chapter in his career.

Coming off a season that ended with a seven-game first-round loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Toronto Raptors made arguably the biggest splash of the early NBA offseason.
Toronto landed Kawhi Leonard from the Los Angeles Clippers on June 30, sending Brandon Ingram, Gradey ***** , two second-round picks, a 2027 pick swap and unprotected first-rounders in 2031 and 2033 to LA. Leonard, 35, sees Toronto as his final NBA stop after winning a ***** le there in 2019.
The trade also revived talk of another homecoming. DeMar DeRozan, whose 13,296 points top the franchise scoring list ahead of Kyle Lowry’s 10,540, was the man Toronto gave up to get Leonard the first time.
DeRozan and the Sacramento Kings could soon finalize a buyout, a resolution that would free the 36-year-old to sign anywhere as a free agent.
Yahoo Sports’ Kelly Iko reported Wednesday that DeRozan hoped to accelerate his exit and that he and rival executives expected the Kings to waive him. He is entering the final season of the three-year contract he signed in 2024.

While most of the focus has been on the Los Angeles Lakers’ swift roster overhaul in free agency, the franchise’s prized rookie, No. 24 pick Cameron Carr, has also been making waves through his first two NBA Summer League outings.
Carr’s red-hot start to the California Classic sparked buzz across the NBA world, with some already declaring the 21-year-old wing the “steal” of the 2026 Draft.
LA was widely praised on draft night for trading up to select Carr, who many pegged as a lottery talent.
The Lakers have since divided pundits with their free-agency moves, most notably by parting with two unprotected first-round picks (2031 and 2033) and two first-round pick swaps (2028 and 2030) in a sign-and-trade with the Utah Jazz to acquire center Walker Kessler on a four-year, $130 million contract.
Rob Pelinka and Co. have sacrificed future flexibility to build around superstar guard Luka Dončić, making Carr’s potential emergence as an immediate rotation piece all the more valuable.

76ers predicted to cut ties with Joel Embiid, acquire $186 million ex-Lakers disgruntled superstar originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Philadelphia 76ers’ future is brighter than ever after fleecing the Boston Celtics in a blockbuster June 2 trade (the 76ers sent Paul George, two first-round picks, and two second-round picks to the Celtics for Jaylen Brown).
Add in the fact that Philadelphia could finish first in the LeBron James free agency sweepstakes, and there’s no reason to believe the franchise couldn’t at least make a run to the Eastern Conference Finals if they remain healthy throughout the year.
Interestingly, CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn isn’t crazy about Joel Embiid continuing to occupy the 76ers’ starting center position, prompting him to propose a deal that would send the former MVP to the Washington Wizards for a disgruntled ex-Los Angeles Lakers star (he was upset with the way Los Angeles handled the end of his tenure with the franchise).
“Here's the wild suggestion: Joel Embiid and draft capital for Anthony Davis,” Quinn wrote Sunday. “The 76ers can still trade their unprotected 2033 first-round pick, plus a handful of swaps. Embiid has the NBA's worst contract... but a Davis extension might age worse.”

Lakers reportedly shopping $66M promising duo after Deandre Ayton and Walker Kessler trades originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Los Angeles Lakers have been active throughout the free agency cycle, making moves both on the trade market and in free agency. After being informed that LeBron James was not interested in returning, the Lakers immediately went to work reshaping their roster.
Their first major move was a trade they had reportedly pursued for years. Los Angeles sent multiple draft picks to the Utah Jazz in exchange for center Walker Kessler.
“The Los Angeles Lakers started the process of remaking their roster in the wake of LeBron James' decision to leave with a blockbuster trade and a trio of free agency signings Wednesday. Sources told ESPN's Shams Charania that the Lakers are acquiring Walker Kessler from the Utah Jazz for unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033 and first-round swaps in 2028 and 2030,” ESPN wrote.
Next, the Lakers moved on from center Deandre Ayton after his production dipped last season.

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - APRIL 28: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics drives to the basket against Paul George #8 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the fourth quarter in Game Five of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoff at TD Garden on April 28, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
What a difference a few weeks make in the NBA.
Two weeks ago, Giannis Antetokounmpo was a Milwaukee Buck, Kawhi Leonard was a Los Angeles Clipper and Jaylen Brown was a Boston Celtic. Now, Antetokounmpo is on the Miami Heat, Leonard is back on the Toronto Raptors and Brown is on the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Celtics dangled Brown in trade talks for Antetokounmpo, but when Milwaukee chose Miami's offer, Boston had to pivot. Rather than try to smooth things over with the 2024 Finals MVP, the Celtics continued to "actively engage" in trade talks involving him, per ESPN's Shams Charania.
At first, Charania reported that the Celtics were asking for as many as four first-round picks for Brown. They wound up settling for an unprotected 2031 first-round pick, a first-round pick or a swap in 2028, two second-round picks and Paul George, according to multiple reports.

One day shy of two months after the Philadelphia 76ers ended Jaylen Brown’s season, they did what so many pundits had tried and failed to do over the last half-decade. They split up the Jays.
They found one ******* of a way of doing it, too: by trading for Brown, in a day that scarcely anybody saw coming amid breathless prognostication over what would constitute an appropriate return for a five-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA selection and NBA Finals Most Valuable Player.
In the end, it wasn’t Giannis Antetokounmpo, or "four and even five first-round picks.” It was Paul George — 36 years young, two years removed from his last All-Star nod, having played fewer than 60 games in six of the last seven seasons, with a 25-game suspension for violating the terms of the NBA’s anti-drug program this past campaign, and owed $110.7 million over the next two seasons — an unprotected 2031 Sixers first-round pick, a 2028 first whose potential outcome is “kind of complicated,” and second-round picks in 2028 and 2030 that have already been multiply swapped (and could turn out to be pretty good).
Whether that return sounds to you like a lot or a little likely depends on whether you grew up in South Boston or South Philly. (You’re not going to believe this, but Celtics fans and Sixers fans have A LOT OF BIG FEELINGS about this one.) And on what you think of George, who was excellent defensively (when available) in Philly and who showed up in a major way against Boston in the playoffs, but whose contract was largely considered to be such a negative ******* et that it would require some draft-pick incentivization to get another team to take it on. And on how highly you rate Brown — which, in case you hadn’t heard, is a whole friggin’ thing.
Oh, also, on how optimistic you are that Brown, who turns 30 in October, will produce at an All-NBA level through the balance of the supermax contract extension he signed in 2023, which will pay him $183 million over the next three seasons.

It's no secret that star guard Jaylen Brown might not have been thrilled by the fact that the Boston Celtics tried to trade him last week for superstar center Giannis Antetokounmpo. However, whatever bad blood that generated reportedly never culminated in an official trade request from Brown.
Nonetheless, the five-time All-Star was dealt in a shocking move to the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday afternoon. The C's exchanged Brown for Sixers wing Paul George, two second-round picks, and two first-round picks. Those first-rounders are comprised of an unprotected 2031 selection belonging to the Sixers and a 2028 selection that will stem from whatever draft position is preferable between the Sixers and Los Angeles Clippers. In the wake of this shocking swap between Atlantic Division rivals, ESPN insider Shams Charania reiterated that Brown didn't specifically ask to leave Beantown.
"My understanding is that Jaylen Brown, throughout all of this, never requested a trade," Charania said on SportsCenter. "He never asked out of Boston. This is all the Celtics. We'll learn more."
On the local reporting front, Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe confirmed what Charania reported with his own sources. That leaves Celtics fans reeling and most of the NBA world scratching its head at what just happened.
Brown being upset with the C's wouldn't be a shocking revelation. He's been thrown around in trade rumors for years and the 2024 NBA Finals MVP might've had enough. Yet, all signs are suggesting that he didn't give up on the Celtics. They gave up on him.

Lakers earn embarrassing grade for blockbuster Walker Kessler sign-and-trade originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
On Wednesday, the Los Angeles Lakers pulled off a move many didn't believe the franchise had the guts to execute.
According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the Lakers sent two unprotected first-round swaps (2031 and 2033) and two first-round swaps (2028 and 2030) to the Utah Jazz for Walker Kessler in a massive sign-and-trade.
Kessler, who was unhappy with the way the Jazz were handling his restricted free agency, is set to sign a four-year, $130 million deal with the Lakers, which is undoubtedly the massive payday the young center was seeking.
USA Today/For the Win's Bryan Kalbrosky isn't a huge fan of the move, though, prompting him to give the Lakers an embarrassing grade for the blockbuster transaction.

As the annual NBA free agent and trade market heats up, two former Blue Devil teammates are on the move: Brandon Ingram has been traded to the Los Angeles Clippers, while Luke Kennard has left the Los Angeles Lakers and signed with the Phoenix Suns as a free agent.
L.A. also got Gradey ******* , unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, a 2027 first-round swap, and two unidentified second-round picks.
Leonard is a wonderful player, but he’s 35 now and he’s missed significant parts of every season since 2022-23. Last year, he did play 65 games, but that means he still missed 17 games, and that was his best year in a while.
The odds of that improving a lot at 35 are not that great, and he’s on the back end of his career already, so in the long run, you’d have to think that the Clippers will come out ahead.
As for Kennard and the Suns, he will fill in nicely for the recently traded Grayson Allen. Kennard, Allen, and going forward, Kon Knueppel, are all tremendous three-point shooters. Basically, if you want a three-point ace, look to Duke.

There are some NBA trades that, if you had brought the idea up six months earlier, it would have gotten you laughed out of the room.
Trade ideas like Kawhi Leonard returning to Toronto. If someone had said that to you at your work Christmas party last year, you would have said "sure, buddy" as you slowly started to back away. Yet here we are. Kawhi Leonard is returning to Toronto in a blockbuster trade that sends an All-NBA wing back to the place he last won a ring.
Who were the winners and losers in the Leonard trade? Actually, I'm not sure there were any losers — not everyone is a winner, and there is some "meh," but trying to find a real loser was a stretch. Let's break it all down, and we'll start with a reminder of what this trade entails.
Toronto receives: Kawhi Leonard
The LA Clippers receive: Brandon Ingram, Gradey **** , two unprotected first-round picks (2031 and 2033), a 2027 first-round pick swap, two second-rounder picks (2030 and 2033).
More than staying home in Southern California, what Kawhi Leonard really wanted was to get paid. The Los Angeles Clippers would not give the 35-year-old with a lengthy injury history the extension he wanted. Part of that was the Clippers were looking to pivot to a younger team, James Harden and Ivica Zubac were traded at the deadline. So if Leonard wanted to stay with the Clippers, he was going to do it on their terms. The sides were well apart.

The Clippers finally pulled the trigger on the deal everyone knew was going to happen.
On Tuesday, Los Angeles agreed to trade Kawhi Leonard to the Toronto Raptors, ending a seven-year run in which the franchise built its entire identity around the two-way star.
The return package brought back Brandon Ingram, Gradey ***** , two unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, a first-round pick swap in 2027, and two second-round picks.
That much draft capital for a 35-year-old star with one season left on his contract signals a franchise pivoting toward the future rather than chasing one more shot at a ***** le.
Leonard leaves Los Angeles as one of the most talented players to ever wear a Clippers uniform, but this trade sends him back to the city where his legend really took off.

According to ESPN, the Charlotte Hornets are trading Miles Bridges, a 2029 first-round pick and a 2027 second-round pick to the Phoenix Suns for Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale and a 2023 first-round pick.
This comes days after the Hornets agreed to trade LaMelo Ball and Josh Green to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Naz Reid, a 2033 unprotected first-round draft pick, three first-round pick swaps, and three future second-round picks, ESPN insider Shams Charania reported Thursday morning.
The Hornets drafted Hannes Steinbach of Washington and Texas Tech guard Christian Anderson Jr. in last week’s draft.
This is a developing story. Check back with wsoctv.com for updates.

LaMelo Ball, the dynamic point guard, is set to join the Minnesota Timberwolves in a significant trade that will reshape both franchises.
The Charlotte Hornets have agreed to send Ball and Josh Green to Minnesota in exchange for power forward Naz Reid, an unprotected first-round draft pick in 2033, three first-round pick swaps, and three future second-round picks.
The pick swaps are slated for 2028, 2029, and 2030, while the Hornets will also acquire second-round selections in 2029, 2032, and 2033.
A person familiar with the situation confirmed the details to The ***** ociated Press on Thursday, speaking on condition of anonymity as the deal, initially reported by ESPN, awaits official league approval.
Ball, 24, was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft and had three years remaining on a five-year, $203.9 million designated rookie contract, a franchise record for the Hornets.

Timberwolves Reportedly Tried Trading For Celtics' Jaylen Brown Before LaMelo Ball originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Boston Celtics made Jaylen Brown available during trade talks for Giannis Antetokounmpo, according to NBA insider Shams Charania, and other teams are reportedly trying to get him now that the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes is over.
ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported on Tuesday that other teams were preparing for the scenario where the Celtics did not land Antetokounmpo, so that they could try to make offers on Brown. Windhorst said five to ten teams could get involved in trade talks for Brown, and according to The Athletic's Jon Krawczynski, the Minnesota Timberwolves were one of those teams.
The Timberwolves pulled off a blockbuster trade for LaMelo Ball on Thursday, sending Naz Reid, a 2033 unprotected first-round pick, three first-round pick swaps and three second-round picks to the Charlotte Hornets. However, they also discussed Brown with the Celtics.
"The Wolves did have discussions with the Celtics on Jaylen Brown as well, sources told The Athletic," Krawczynski wrote on X. "But they saw LaMelo Ball as fitting more of what they needed, for likely less compensation going out."

LaMelo Ball is heading to Minnesota.
On Thursday, the Hornets sent Ball, who they selected No. 3 overall in the 2020 draft, and Josh Green to the Timberwolves for Naz Reid, a 2033 unprotected first-round pick, three first-round pick swaps (2028, 2029, 2030), and three second-round picks (2029, 2032, 2033). News of the trade was first reported by ESPN.
The deal comes a day after the 2026 NBA draft ended and on the first day of a new era, in which Adam Silver’s ‘3-2-1 lottery’ system goes into effect for the 2027 draft. Next year’s draft will expand the lottery from 14 teams to 16 and will give teams that finish fourth through 10th a higher chance at landing the No. 1 pick than the bottom-three teams. It will also reverse the order of the second round, with the team that picks first also selecting 16th in the second round (46th overall).
The trade echoes what ESPN front-office **** yst Bobby Marks told Front Office Sports about transactions in the new-look NBA, with star players continuing to command first-round picks. Marks was unsure about second-round picks being part of big trades, and Ball’s has three of those, too.
“I think superstars, teams are always going to trade first-round picks,” Marks told FOS before the draft. “I think there’s a little bit of uncertainty when it comes to trading second-round picks just based on its inverse order, so there’s the unknown on where it lands. I think there is a little bit of hesitation here as far as just because we haven’t gone through it yet, as far as where potential picks can be.”

The LaMelo Ball era in Charlotte is over.
Ball, 24, a former Rookie of the Year and one-time All-Star, reportedly has been sent to the Minnesota Timberwolves, along with Josh Green, for a draft-pick-oriented package.
Charlotte, in return, acquired Naz Reid, a 2033 unprotected first-round selection, pick swaps in 2028, 2029 and 2030, as well as three second-round selections in 2029, 2032 and 2033.
This is an interesting turn of events, especially after the Hornets finally found an offensive rhythm with Ball, Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller this past season.
Let’s break it all down.

Why the Hornets traded LaMelo Ball to Timberwolves in stunning blockbuster NBA deal originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The NBA Draft had barely ended when the rumors emerged that LaMelo Ball was being shopped by the Charlotte Hornets.
And less than 12 hours later, by Thursday morning, the Hornets had sent Ball in a trade to the Minnesota Timberwolves in a shocking blockbuster deal.
The trade sends Ball with Josh Green to Minnesota.
In return, Charlotte gets Naz Reid, an unprotected first-round pick in 2033, three first-round pick swaps, and three second-round picks.

Just days after the Giannis Antetokounmpo blockbuster trade that sent the former Milwaukee Bucks star to the Miami Heat, another high-profile Eastern Conference player is on the move. Rumors circulated on Wednesday, June 24, that the Charlotte Hornets were considering trading LaMelo Ball, and the Minnesota Timberwolves were the perceived frontrunners. It didn't take long for a deal to come to fruition: the two sides agreed to terms less than 24 hours later, ESPN's Shams Charania reported.
The trade reportedly includes the following:
Timberwolves receive: LaMelo Ball and Josh Green
Hornets receive: Naz Reid, a 2033 unprotected first-round pick, three first-round pick swaps (2028, 2029 and 2030) and three second-round picks (2029, 2032 and 2033)
The trade is pick-heavy in terms of what the Hornets received in exchange for Ball, although it does address a need in the frontcourt with the addition of Reid. As for the Timberwolves, they get the highly coveted star addition to pair in the backcourt with Anthony Edwards.

LaMelo Ball is on his way to the Minnesota Timberwolves, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
The Charlotte Hornets are reportedly dealing the 24-year-old Ball along with guard Josh Green to the T’Wolves in exchange for Naz Reid, a 2033 unprotected first-round NBA draft pick, second-round picks in 2029, 2032 and 2033, along with first-round pick swaps in 2028, 2029, and 2030.
This story will be updated.