The Minnesota Timberwolves have been able to find some quality role players towards the back half of each draft with Gersson Rosas at the helm. Naz Reid, an undrafted free agent, has been one of his better finds.
Naz Reid, originally an NBA/Timberwolves reddit meme, has actually become a quality basketball player. He’s able to hit the occasional three, make more passes than the average big man, and score inside at a high mark.
Minnesota Timberwolves season grades: Naz Reid
Naz Reid averaged 11 points, five rebounds, one assist, and one block in his age-21-season, on shooting splits of 52/35/69. Reid is a quality backup big considering he gets just under 20 minutes per game.
While he is no rim protector, Reid is able to step in when needed and take good, easy shots. He never forces a bad decision but will never make any eye-popping spectacular plays either – he is the Teddy Bridgewater of the NBA.
Naz Reid isn’t much of a defender. He can stand out on that end in some points, but the consistency on the defensive end of the floor leaves a lot to be desired.
Reid, however, as a starter, just does not cut it. In 15 games (averaging 26 minutes per game), his shooting splits went down significantly (Reid’s true shooting percentage drops by about 6%). That said, his caliber of player is perfect for what Minnesota needs off of the bench. He’s generally never going to get more than 20 minutes in a single game in his ideal role, and he is still developing – coming into his own.
While Naz Reid is only 22 years of age currently, he will be entering a non-guaranteed (he’s going to remain on the roster, I have no doubts) final season of his contract. After that, he will be a restricted free agent. This means that the Timberwolves will have to decide during the course of the 2021-22 season whether Reid is worth keeping.
Naz Reid season grade: B
While Naz Reid was generally good in the role that the Timberwolves had him in, it remains to be seen whether he can effect winning at a high level. That will be the true test for him in the upcoming season(s) – although he has proven he is worth a lot more than an undrafted free agent.