Timberwolves delight at Naz Reid and Jaylen Nowell return

The Minnesota Timberwolves followed up the re-signing of versatile forward Taurean Prince by exercising the final one-year options for both young center Naz Reid and young wing Jaylen Nowell. While very much expected, the move ensures that the Minnesota Timberwolves playoff roster returns virtually intact.

Per Spotrac.com, the option for both Reid and Nowell will cost the Timberwolves approximately $1.93 million each respectively.

While the move was expected, the return of both Naz Reid to the backup center position and Jaylen Nowell to the rotation at the wing position restores the Timberwolves’ key rotational players to a roster that advanced to the NBA Playoffs a year ago.

So what is there left to do for the Timberwolves? Actually, quite a bit.

Timberwolves Roster needs work

Even as the Minnesota Timberwolves roster finds itself in a familiar place, relatively unchanged from a year ago in regards to the key players in the rotation, keep in mind that the Timberwolves were sent home in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.

While that experience, combined with another year of maturation by the young players on the team’s roster will improve the team somewhat, there are a number of additional moves that the team can take.  But will they? Now that is an excellent question.

For now, the Minnesota Timberwolves front office is acting exactly as expected. Naz Reid and Jaylen Nowell are both young, have been key rotational players for the Timberwolves, and are now under contract for the 2022-23 season. In the case of Jaylen Nowell, Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch has publicly challenged him to develop quickly this season, and help lead the team into better days ahead.

Sometimes the simplest moves can eventually be the best moves.  The Minnesota Timberwolves are clearly well-positioned for the start of the NBA Free Agency season.

Stay Tuned . . .