Ranking the Minnesota Timberwolves’ sixth man candidates
By Will Eudy
3. Naz Reid
Entering his fourth season in the league with Minnesota after going undrafted in 2019, Reid has become a more than serviceable player and very solid option at backup center. Last season, he played behind Jarred Vanderbilt, and put up averages of 8.3 points and 3.9 rebounds in a career-low 15.8 minutes per game.
Those numbers might not pop off the page, but Naz would be putting up far better numbers if he got more minutes. His per 36 minutes stats resemble those of a starting center, and he’s an excellent energy player off the bench.
When Reid is on the floor, he’s routinely in the right place at the right time to grab a rebound and finish with a put-back dunk, or showing off his playmaking skill with surprisingly accurate passes. He can play at the four or the five, so he can provide valuable minutes when either Karl-Anthony Towns or Rudy Gobert get into foul trouble. It’s not a stretch to think he could put together his best season yet with this group.