The Minnesota Timberwolves made an excellent post-draft decision in signing undrafted free agent Naz Reid to a two-way contract.
Following a successful 2019 NBA Draft, selecting Jarrett Culver and Jaylen Nowell, the Minnesota Timberwolves wasted no time in continuing to bolster the roster.
Immediately after the draft, Minnesota made the move to sign undrafted free agent Nazreon Reid out of Louisiana State University (LSU). Naz Reid is a one-and-done prospect who felt one year of college basketball was enough for him to be successful at the NBA level.
Undrafted LSU center Naz Reid has agreed to a two-way NBA contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves, league sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 21, 2019
Standing at 6’10” and 250 pounds, he is an extremely stout player who likes to utilize his size to create space near the rim. According to ESPN, Reid was the 12th best player overall in the Class of 2018 and the third best center.
As a freshman, Reid started in all but two of the games he played. In 27.2 minutes per game, he produced 13.6 points and 7.2 rebounds while shooting 72.7 percent from the free throw line. He also was a decent 3-point shooter for his size, at 33.3 percent on 2.5 attempts per game. These numbers earned him a spot on the 2018-19 SEC All-Freshman Team, an impressive honor considering the quality of players in the conference.
The biggest concern for Reid is his defensive ability. While he has the size, he doesn’t necessarily have the speed and quickness to defend the modern era of big men who can space the floor and also handle the ball.
Reid was signed by Minnesota to an NBA Two-Way Contract, meaning he will split time playing for both the Minnesota Timberwolves as well as their G-League affiliate the Iowa Wolves. This will give him the chance to gain more experience and grow into the player the front office thinks he can be.
In an article published by Bleacher Report about player comparisons for the top players in his high school class, Naz Reid was compared to both Julius Randle and Andre Drummond. If he can even be somewhat close to the caliber of those current NBA two players, Reid will certainly be considered a great undrafted free agent signing.
Overall, regardless of the impact he has in his rookie season, Naz Reid should be a reliable back up big down the road. Having a young star like Karl-Anthony Towns teaching him the ropes will also help in his development.