Kon Knueppel: LaMelo Ball trade was 'a shock'

Q. You played well with LaMelo Ball. You guys were kind of like branded as the you know the future of the Hornets. Was that a shock to you? Kon Knueppel: Yeah, definitely a shock. Melo’s a great dude. (…) He was great to be around every day. So that's already missed, you know, just the joy and energy that he brought to the locker room. 

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Q. You played well with LaMelo Ball. You guys were kind of like branded as the you know the future of the Hornets. Was that a shock to you? Kon Knueppel: Yeah, definitely a shock. Melo’s a great dude. (…) He was great to be around every day. So that's already missed, you know, just the joy and energy that he brought to the locker room. — 7/24/2026 YouTube

But in Lee’s first interview since the official completion of all of the Hornets’ offseason moves, he laughed off the suggestion he wasn’t aware of the wheeling and dealing of Jeff Peterson, Charlotte’s president of basketball operations. “Yeah, I would say I was not caught off guard by it,” Lee told The Charlotte Observer. “I think one of the great things about our organization is that there’s always really good communication amongst all departments and groups. And I think that’s what Jeff does so well, is that he wants to communicate and collaborate with people. “And ultimately, he has to make some tough decisions to help our basketball team and our organization be in the best place to flourish and try to be the premier sports franchise.” — 7/23/2026 Charlotte Observer

NBA Courtside: Anthony Edwards on playing with LaMelo Ball: “It’s definitely going to be ups and downs. First year together maybe a lot of downs. We’ll celebrate both of them. Celebrate the ups, celebrate the downs.” (Via @Fanatics) — 7/20/2026 x.com

Kalan Hooks: Anthony Edwards says LaMelo Ball has been at his house over the past couple of days and that he values the relationship they’re building. He also said they’ve been working on their postgame interviews. — 7/17/2026 x.com

Legion Hoops: Anthony Edwards says LaMelo Ball has been staying at his house the last couple days — plans to rush back to Minnesota after Fanatics Fest so they can hang out more. This duo is already locked in. ? — 7/17/2026 x.com

Darren Wolfson: "I know from Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez down to Tim Connelly, to Chris Finch, to Pablo Prigioni, Elston Turner, others on the coaching staff, other guys, that the Wolves feel like they have a really good infrastructure in place to help LaMelo mature that much more. And there is a thought from the deep dive that they've done, that LaMelo took a big step forward last year, certainly on the court. We can have the conversation about the car accident off the court, but on the court, accepting playing lesser minutes, playing 28 minutes a night compared to 35 minutes a night. You look at that Charlotte Hornets offense, number one in the league from January 1st on. They were also a really good defense from January 1st on. LaMelo Ball drove a lot of that. The Wolves also feel like with their medical staff in place, and hey, recent history says this is a fact, the Wolves do a really good job of keeping their guys on the court compared to the rest of the league." — 7/15/2026 YouTube

Ball had been the face of the Hornets franchise from the day he was drafted. He beat out Anthony Edwards for Rookie of the Year honors in 2021 and was an All-Star in his second season in the league. And he was coming off one of his best seasons, playing a central role in the Hornets’ stunning run over the second half of last season, a 33-15 finish that pushed them into the Play-In Tournament. Then, just when things finally appeared to be turning for the Hornets, Ball was sent away. “I feel like it’s God’s plan,” a soft-spoken Ball said on Tuesday at his introductory news conference. “I just leave it up to Him, and I just feel extremely blessed.” — 7/15/2026 New York Times

Etienne Catalan: LaMelo Ball ( @MELOD1P ) will wear No. 1 for the #Timberwolves. Number last worn by Terrence Shannon Jr. in 2026. #NBA — 7/14/2026 x.com

Jon Krawczynski: LaMelo Ball is buying lunch for the entire Wolves business staff after his introductory press conference. — 7/14/2026 x.com

The flip side of Ball's penchant for undisciplined or flashy plays is a carefree style the Wolves could use. One of the undercurrents of their underachieving season that ended with a second-round loss to San Antonio was a moodiness that became part of their collective personality. Too many players took too long to shake off unproductive games or frustrating stretches. "This is supposed to be fun," Connelly said. "He enjoys life. He enjoys playing. You don't want to make this anything but where it's a joyous atmosphere." — 7/14/2026 ESPN

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