For all intents and purposes, it’s more likely than not that Naz Reid is one of your friend’s favorite players for fantasy basketball. Of course, it goes without saying that Reid’s got quite a lot of on-court contributions.
With Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert on the roster, Reid has ended up third in the pecking order for the frontcourt. Thus, not a lot of touches are available to him when the Minnesota Timberwolves are at full strength. Despite that, Reid’s been known to maximize every chance he gets, so when Towns and Gobert are out, Reid can feast on the opportunities now passed onto him.
Reid was playing lights out in the first half against the Los Angeles Lakers, knocking down three of his first four shots in the game. All of this came from the flow of the offense, which points to how he fits perfectly in the scheme set up by Wolves head coach David Finch. While Anthony Edwards was struggling for much of the first half, it was Reid who picked up the slack and with Edwards gaining steam, Minnesota took a 92-91 lead heading into the final quarter.
Unfortunately, the Wolves struggled on offense while the Lakers feasted inside. On his part, Reid was scoreless and could not do much as Anthony Davis feasted in the paint against a frontcourt carried by Reid and Luka Garza.
On the whole, Reid is having a career year despite shooting 48.4 percent from the field, which isn’t bad considering many big men who have reverted to more perimeter-oriented games have seen their percentages hover within 45 percent. His 3-point shooting has been a major contribution to the offense, as Edwards can freely drive to the paint and find himself with a reliable option on the wing. Reid may be a great complement on most days, but he can certainly light up the scoreboard when his shot is falling.
Rebounding was never Reid’s forte despite his size, as he’s never grabbed more than five rebounds per game in any of his five NBA seasons. He does, however, provide some stout defense given his low foul numbers (a career-best 2.1 per game) and the occasional steal and block. With the way Minnesota is constructed, personnel is critical to their defensive prowess and while he’s no Gobert, Reid is one of those lengthy players who can guard the paint for certain stretches. Right now, he just needs to work on the moments when he’s the main rim protector for more than 20 minutes a game.
After signing a three-year, $42-million extension during the offseason, Reid is committed to the Wolves till at least next season given his player option for the 2025-2026 season. He’ll likely be more valuable on the court than as a trade piece, especially given how he fits in with the team. Health has never been an issue with Reid not only because he will turn 25 in August, but also because the former LSU Tiger is on pace to appear in at least 70 games in three of the last four seasons.
The Minnesota Timberwolves may be missing the services of Karl-Anthony Towns for around a month, but Naz Reid has become the reliable next man up for the team. Reid won’t get the star treatment or calls to be a franchise cornerstone, but the work he does could nonetheless be critical to the Wolves’ championship aspirations.