“It’s Tough Man”: Brandon Miller Breaks Silence on LaMelo Ball Getting Traded to Timberwolves

In late June, the Charlotte Hornets shocked the NBA world by trading LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Nobody saw it coming- Ball had been the face of the franchise, and many argue the Hornets weren't even a team on fans' radar before he arrived.

Nearly two months later, Ball's former teammate Brandon Miller has finally broken his silence. Miller opened up about how strange it'll feel entering the 2026-27 season without one of his closest friends in the league by his side.

"It’s tough, man. You know, it’s tough going through, you know, trade deadline this time," Miller said in a recent episode of The Road Trippin' Show. "You know, seeing your (LaMelo Ball) gone, you know, it hurts, but I think we all know the NBA game."

"I know he will be great in Minnesota," Miller continued. "Of course he still has a lot to learn. I feel like everybody, you know, that’s that young, has a lot to learn. So, just excited to see his growth. That was the main thing I was excited for him last year was just his leadership growth."

It's understandable why Miller would miss Ball. Brandon came into the league in 2023 with LaMelo as one of his leader figures in Charlotte. The former duo played in three seasons together, totaling 101 games.

While we're not entirely sure how the Hornets would turn out to be with Ball no longer in the picture, what everyone is excited to see is what he can do in Minnesota with his new duo, Anthony Edwards.

LaVar Ball Opens Up About LaMelo Ball Getting Traded to the Timberwolves

One of the highly anticipated teams to watch in the NBA is the Minnesota Timberwolves. This is due to the arrival of LaMelo Ball. The former Charlotte Hornets star is set to form a duo with Anthony Edwards.

Ball is one of the best playmakers in the league today. Combining that with Edwards' explosiveness on the court is a recipe for pure entertainment on the hardwood.

Having that in mind, it seems that LaMelo's father, LaVar Ball, is already looking forward to his youngest son suiting up for the Wolves. In a late July airing of SiriusXM NBA Radio, LaVar broke his silence on LaMelo going to Minnesota.

"You're going to see the mentality of Edwards is going to connect with Melo," LaVar said. "They're going to want to kill everybody. They already got the name of the best backcourt ever, the best duo ever. They're going to live up to that. Both of them being young and wanting to whoop up on people."

Edwards seems just as eager to share the court with Ball next season. At his appearance at Fanatics Fest NYC 2026, Antman told the crowd that he and LaMelo are already putting in work on their chemistry, and not just on the court. The two are reportedly working on reining in their language during interviews, too, since both are known for speaking their minds without much of a filter. Pair two unfiltered personalities in the same backcourt, and Minnesota's PR team may have their hands full all season.

As of this writing, it's unclear whether Ant and Melo will actually debut together during the 2026 preseason. Worst case, fans will have to wait until the 2026-27 regular season tips off in late October to see the tandem in action.