Chris Bosh said he didn’t see the Minnesota Timberwolves’ trade for LaMelo Ball coming, and believes the move can reshape the team into one of the league’s most explosive lineups. Bosh also addressed the trade’s cost, including Naz Reid leaving for Charlotte i
Minnesota didn’t just make a splash this offseason—it flipped a familiar storyline and bet on LaMelo Ball. For Chris Bosh, the timing and the fit were both a surprise.
“ I did not see this one coming. This is a really interesting move,” Bosh said on X (formerly Twitter) on June 27, 2026, breaking down the Timberwolves’ trade for Ball and admitting the idea caught him off guard.
Bosh has watched star guards and teams built around creation for years. even if his perspective comes from his own era. As an 11-time All-Star and a two-time champion. the Hall of Famer spent his prime as a skilled big man on a star-driven contender in Miami—so when he talks about spacing. he isn’t guessing. His read was immediate: Minnesota didn’t just want another guard, it wanted a creator to pair with Anthony Edwards.
With veteran Mike Conley getting older, Bosh said the logic is clear in why Minnesota made the move. He believes Ball brings the playmaking the Wolves need, pointing to what Ball did last season in Charlotte—averaging 20.1 points and 7.1 assists.
That kind of vision, Bosh said, can change what defenses are forced to guard. “This definitely puts them in the area of one of the most explosive teams in the league,” he added.
The knock-on effect, in Bosh’s view, goes beyond the backcourt. He expects Rudy Gobert to benefit from the kinds of reads Ball makes—especially around the rim. Bosh said Gobert could “feast on lobs feeding him near the rim. ” and he tied it to Ball’s style: “Don’t be surprised if his points per game goes up. because as much as LaMelo likes to attack. he likes to pass too.”.
Still, even Bosh’s excitement came with a sting. The trade wasn’t simply an upgrade—it was also a departure for a player Minnesota fans loved. The Timberwolves sent fan favorite Naz Reid to the Hornets, with Josh Green coming back along with a package of draft picks.
Reid’s exit is the part Bosh couldn’t gloss over. “I hate to see Naz Reid go. He’s one of my favorite players,” he said.
For Minnesota, the deal also preserves a tantalizing connection to the team’s core. The trade pairs the No. 1 and No. 3 picks from the 2020 draft—Anthony Edwards and Ball—meaning the backcourt has a built-in ceiling of long-term chemistry if their games connect as projected.
Bosh’s prediction, delivered with certainty, circles back to speed and impact. “They will be one of the most explosive teams in the league next year. for sure. ” he said. expecting the payoff to show up quickly—after a move that. for him. still feels like it happened a half-step faster than it should have.
Minnesota Timberwolves LaMelo Ball Chris Bosh Anthony Edwards Mike Conley Naz Reid Josh Green Rudy Gobert Charlotte Hornets NBA offseason trade