RealGM Basketball Wiretap

05 July 2026

• Hornets Acquire Dorian Finney-Smith Plus Three Second Rounders From Rockets

  The Charlotte Hornets have acquired Dorian Finney-Smith and three second round picks from the Houston Rockets. The Hornets will acquire a 2027 second round pick originating from the Memphis Grizzlies and second round picks from the Rockets in 2028 and 2033.

  Finney-Smith signed a four-year, $53 million deal with the Rockets last offseason, but struggled as he returned from left ankle surgery. Finney-Smith has no guaranteed money beyond the $13.33 million for the 2026-27 season.

  Finney-Smith appeared in just 37 games, averaging 3.3 points and 2.5 rebounds while shooting just 27 percent on three-pointers. During the 2024-25 season, Finney-Smith shot 41.1 percent on three-pointers.

  The Rockets had a surplus on the wing amid rising payroll concerns after re-siging Tari Eason to a four-year, $81.5 million deal.

• Suns Acquire Miles Bridges From Hornets For Grayson Allen, Royce O'Neale

  The Phoenix Suns are acquiring Miles Bridges, a 2029 first-round pick and a 2027 second-around pick from the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for Grayson Allen, Royce O'Neale and 2033 first-round pick.

  Bridges will fill a hole at the power forward position for the Suns. Phoenix also adds some closer-in draft capital, which they can use to select players or in future trades. The Suns also got further under the second apron in this deal, while opening a roster spot.

  In 77 games last season, Bridges averaged 17.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 31.0 minutes.

  Despite taking on a bit of money in this trade, the Hornets will still be roughly $50 million under the luxury tax. Charlotte also picks up a helpful rotation guard in Allen, as they rebuild their backcourt in the wake of the LaMelo Ball trade. In addition, the Suns are adding an unprotected first-round pick in 2033.

  Bridges missed the entire 2022-23 season and part of the 2023-24 season because of suspension following a plea of no-contest for felony domestic abuse.

  Bridges signed a three-year, $75 million contract with the Hornets in 2024 and is entering the final season of his contract. Bridges is on a $22.8 million salary for the 2026-27 season.

• Several Teams Have Shown Real Interest In Trading For Jaylen Brown

  The Boston Celtics tried to trade Jaylen Brown as part of a package for Giannis Antetokounmpo earlier this offseason. With Antetokounmpo having been traded to the Miami Heat, several other rival teams have emerged as suitors for Brown.

  The Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Hornets, Denver Nuggets, LA Clippers, Portland Trail Blazers and Toronto Raptors have all expressed interest in trading for the Celtics star.

  Charlotte's interest has backed off some. While Atlanta may be reluctant to make an all-in sort of offer for Brown.

  The Houston Rockets, New Orleans Pelicans and Orlando Magic have also been linked to Boston's All-NBA wing in the past. However, none of those three teams seem to be seriously pursuing a trade for Brown at this time.

  Brown is eligible for a two-year, $141.8 million contract extension in July.

  Brown finished the 2024-25 season playing through a partially torn right meniscus that required offseason surgery that offseason. Brown recovered to have the best individual season of his career in 2025-26 as he averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists.

• Rockets, Hornets Not Currently Discussing Jaylen Brown Trade With Celtics

  The Houston Rockets and Charlotte Hornets are not currently in pursuit of a trade for Jaylen Brown, sources tell The Stein Line. Both the Rockets and Hornets have been linked with Brown, who the Boston Celtics are actively engaging in trade discussions upon.

  Ime Udoka coached Brown and the Celtics to the 2022 NBA Finals.

  However, the Rockets long insisted they were not in on a trade for Kevin Durant last year until the trade cost dropped to the point where they moved forward.

  The Celtics are known to have interest in Alperen Sengun.

  Charlotte has considerable future draft capital following their trade this week of LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

  Brown eligible for a two-year, $141.8 million contract extension in July.

  The Portland Trail Blazers have been identified as the team most frequently mentioned as being involved with the Celtics in discussions on Brown.

• LaMelo Ball Surprised By Trade But 'Very Excited' To Join Anthony Edwards With Wolves

  LaMelo Ball entered the offseason expecting to remain with the Charlotte Hornets and his trade to the Minnesota Timberwolves was unanticipated.

  "I kind of got the impression that LaMelo didn't see this coming," said Brian Windhorst on the Pat McAfee Show.

  The Hornets never shopped Ball on the market and instead listened to trade offers and were compelled by the Wolves' package of a 2033 first round pick, three pick swaps, three second rounders and Naz Reid.

  Ball was happy with the Hornets, especially following their second half surge this past season that led to the play-in.

  Ball will now join one of the NBA's biggest superstars in Anthony Edwards with clear championship aspirations in a tier in the Western Conference immediately below the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs.

  Despite the surprise of the trade, Ball is excited for the opportunity.

  "My understanding is LaMelo Ball is very excited to go play with Anthony Edwards to try to win championships," said Shams Charania. "He knows the task at hand. Those two guys, from my understanding, are friends. They've had communication in the recent past."

• Coby White, Hornets Agree To Three-Year, $74M Deal

  Coby White and the Charlotte Hornets have agreed to a three-year, $74 million contract. The Hornets acquired White ahead of the trade deadline from the Chicago Bulls for Collin Sexton and three second rounders. White is represented by Ty Sullivan and Steven Heumann of CAA.

  White will now be the starting point guard for the Hornets following their trade of LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

  White was expected to receive interest from the Detroit Pistons in free agency.

  In 21 games with the Hornets last season, White averaged 15.6 points, 3.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 19.4 minutes. In 29 games with the Bulls, White averaged 18.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists.

  White is a career 36.9 percent three-point shooter.

  White's contract in Year 1 will be worth approximately 14% of the NBA's $165 million salary cap.

• Wolves Acquire LaMelo Ball From Hornets For Naz Reid, 2033 First Rounder, Three Swaps

  The Minnesota Timberwolves have acquired LaMelo Ball from the Charlotte Hornets 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). The Wolves will also acquire Josh Green.

  The Hornets also discussed a Ball trade with the Toronto Raptors and Portland Trail Blazers and his sudden availability emerged on Wednesday immediately after the second round of the NBA draft. While Charlotte never shopped Ball on the market, they listened to offers and moved forward with the Minnesota deal that allows them to accrue additional draft capital and reset their core around Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel. The Hornets will attempt to re-sign Coby White in free agency.

  The Hornets now control the second most future first round picks in the NBA.

  The Wolves will fold this trade into their deal earlier this week where they sent Julius Randle to the Brooklyn Nets. The Wolves will now feature Anthony Edwards alongside Ball and Jaden McDaniels on the perimeter with Rudy Gobert continuing to anchor the defense.

  Edwards and Ball were in the same 2020 draft class and while Edwards has become a multi-time All-NBA player, it was Ball that won Rookie of the Year.

  Tim Connelly consulted with Edwards on several roster machinations over the past few weeks and executed this bold trade for Ball. Connelly has previously pursued other stars such as Kevin Durant in 2025 and Giannis Antetokounmpo at the trade deadline and again in June. The Wolves will remain in the luxury tax following the trade.

  Ball has three seasons remaining on his five-year, $203.9 million contract signed with the Hornets in 2023 and is represented by Sam Permut.

  Ball appeared in 72 games last season with the Hornets, averaging 20.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 7.1 assists in 28.0 minutes. Ball had injury issues in his third, fourth and fifth seasons but was healthy and helped lead the Hornets to a second half surge and into the play-in.

  "He's going to make everybody better," a source told Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. "That was the thing that was missing."

  During the Connelly era, the Wolves previously made significant moves for Gobert and also a draft day trade for the draft rights to Rob Dillingham, who struggled to establish himself with Chris Finch. The Wolves, however, converted Dillingham to Ayo Dosunmu, who was re-signed on a five-year, $112 million deal.

• Hornets Waiving Tosan Evbuomwan

  The Charlotte Hornets are waiving forward Tosan Evbuomwan from his two-way contract. Evbuomwan joined Charlotte on a two-year, two-way deal last February.

  The 6-foot-8 forward didn't see any NBA action with the Hornets last season. In 31 G League games between the Maine Celtics, Westchester Knicks and Greensboro Swarm, Evbuomwan averaged 18.1 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.3 steals per game.

• Michael Ajayi, Hornets Agree To Two-Way Contract

  Wing Michael Ajayi and the Charlotte Hornets have agreed to a two-way contract. Ajayi went undrafted out of Butler at the 2026 NBA Draft.

  Ajayi finished his NCAA career at Butler after previously playing for Pepperdine and Gonzaga. As a senior with the Bulldogs, he 6-foot-7 wing averaged 16.4 points, 11.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.1 steals per game. Ajayi is considered to be a solid and versatile defender, as well.

• Wolves Make Jaden McDaniels Off Limits In LaMelo Ball Trade Talks; Prefer To Keep Donte DiVincenzo, Naz Reid

  The Minnesota Timberwolves are "undeniably serious" in their pursuit of LaMelo Ball, sources told Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line.

  The Wolves have taken Jaden McDaniels off the table in any trade discussions.

  The team prefers to "do right" and keep Donte DiVincenzo, who suffered a torn Achilles in the playoffs last season.

  The Wolves also prefer to keep Naz Reid.

  With the Wolves' trade of Julius Randle unable to be finalized until July 6, that deal could be expanded to help complete other transactions.

  Ball was reportedly looking forward to playing this upcoming season with the Hornets.

  With the Raptors already mentioned as another team pursuing Ball, the Bucks have also registered interest in the point guard.