The Charlotte Hornets took a huge risk in trading LaMelo Ball. He had a sparkling debut with the Minnesota Timberwolves, which may have aided Anthony Edwards in a 45-point outburst. The Hornets might miss him, but that was only one half of the risk.
The other half is that the primary return for Ball (and Josh Green) was Naz Reid, a career backup. Now, Reid was a Sixth Man of the Year sort of player, but he still wasn't a starter. It was immensely risky to trade the franchise face for a bench player.
However, like a lot of other moves the Hornets made over the offseason, it worked out pretty well on Wednesday night. Several newcomers had excellent outings, and Reid may have had the best. At the very least, he made franchise history.
— Charlotte Hornets PR (@HornetsPR) October 22, 2026Naz Reid is the first Hornet ever to put up 20/10/5 in his franchise debut.
Reid is the third player in NBA history to put up 20/10/5 with 4 3PM in his franchise debut, joining Jock Landale (ATL, 2/5/26) and Ray Allen (SEA, 2/23/03).
No other Hornet in franchise history has recorded 20 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists in their team debut. In fact, across the entire NBA, only three players have ever achieved those numbers with at least four threes made in their team debuts. Ray Allen and Jock Landale are the other two.
Reid didn't shoot terribly well, but he still shot 40% from deep. He also posted the fifth-best offensive rating on the team, but he ranked second in ORTG among those who played 18 minutes or more. He also posted a solid 104.3 defensive rating.
All in all, it was a great debut for Reid, who was a big part of why the Hornets were able to win despite missing Coby White, Kon Knueppel, and Grant Williams, with Brandon Miller turning in an absolute clunker. Without Reid, the Hornets simply don't win that contest. Reid was vital to the success last night.
Time will tell whether or not the Hornets regret the Ball trade. It has the potential to be looked back on as a cataclysmic oversight, especially if the Timberwolves have success with a healthy Ball. But from the Hornets' perspective, the day-one return on that deal looks pretty solid.
Reid's versatility was on full display, and he led the team in assists. The Hornets needed to replace Ball's playmaking, as he was the primary facilitator and the best passer on the team. It's unlikely anyone expected that to come from Reid, who averages 1.5 assists for his career.
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