Danny Green Says He’s ‘Confused’ by Timberwolves’ LaMelo Ball Trade and Here’s Why

Danny Green has seen a lot of NBA transactions in his day. Three rings, multiple teams, plenty of weird roster experiments. But the Timberwolves trading for LaMelo Ball? That one has him genuinely scratching his head.

Speaking on ESPN’s SportsCenter, Green didn’t hold back. He’s not sure what Minnesota is doing here.

“I’m a bit confused in the direction that Minnesota’s going in,” Green said. “You let go of your big man. You only have Rudy left. Naz Reid was a good stretch-4. Julius Randle was able to start the offense’s pick-and-pop, as well. So, they had some great pieces at that position. Now, they’re very guard-heavy. I don’t know if this is a step back. It seems like it’s a step back right now, but sometimes you might need a step back to take a step forward.”

So here’s the thing. The Wolves traded away a frontcourt that actually worked. Reid could space the floor. Randle could initiate offense. Karl-Anthony Towns was already gone, but now they’ve doubled down on guards. Anthony Edwards is the man. LaMelo is the new co-star. And behind them, you’ve got Mike Conley and Donte DiVincenzo. That’s a lot of ball handlers.

Meanwhile, the frontcourt is thin. Rudy Gobert is still there anchoring the paint. Jaden McDaniels can guard three or four positions. But after that? You’re asking two-way guys and rookies to soak up minutes at power forward. That’s not exactly a recipe for the Western Conference Finals.

And that’s the thing about last season. Minnesota made a real run. Two straight years of reaching the conference finals. That’s not nothing. But failing to extend that streak means changes were coming. The front office clearly wanted to reshape the identity around Edwards. LaMelo is young, flashy, and can create his own shot. But pairing him with Edwards means the ball is going to be in one of their hands almost every possession. That’s fine in the regular season. Come playoff time, defenses get smaller and faster and smarter. Can those two share the floor against a team like Denver or Oklahoma City?

The roster balance question

Green hit on something real. Minnesota is guard-heavy now. Really guard-heavy. And losing Randle creates a void in the frontcourt that isn’t easy to fill. Gobert can protect the rim, but he’s not a four. McDaniels can defend, but he’s not a primary scorer. Reid is gone. So the Wolves are basically asking: can we outscore teams before they exploit our lack of size?

It’s a bet. A risky one. And Green is right to wonder if this is a step back before a step forward — or just a step back.

Either way, the Timberwolves have the 2026-27 season to figure it out. That’s the runway. But in the Western Conference, runways tend to be shorter than you think.