When the 2023 NBA Trade Deadline arrived, it brought a crucial decision to the forefront. The time for the Minnesota Timberwolves to act on a belief that the team would be unable to extend backup center Naz Reid was then. At the time, we posed the question of whether a Timberwolves contract extension for Reid could get done. Our concerns were not solely financial, either.
Naz Reid made no bones about the fact that he wanted to start in the NBA in the 2023-24 NBA season, and the Minnesota Timberwolves do not have that condition to offer him. Besides that, his player progressed early in the 2022-23 NBA season to the point where his asking price was inflating rapidly.
The worst part of all this is that all of these events occurred long before other NBA teams have a chance to toss their hat into the ring and start the bidding war. Now that the season is over for the Minnesota Timberwolves team, the suitors for Naz Reid will start coming out of the woodwork.
The Lakers’ push for Naz Reid started months ago
Well, one veteran NBA player is social media savvy enough to let other players in the league know when he sees what they have going on, and takes an interest in the chance for that player to join the Lakers roster in the future. That player is none other than Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, and he got his message to Naz Reid months ago.
Naiz Reid got toooo much game!!
— LeBron James (@KingJames) March 1, 2023
That was long before the 2022-23 NBA season ended. And so, here we are, the early stages of what will become a very important offseason for the Minnesota Timberwolves. And the LA Lakers are already flirting with backup center Naz Reid.
“Here in LA… definitely the Lakers court fasho”
— ⁶ (@SpeakContext) June 1, 2023
Naz Reid when asked where is his favorite place to play 👀🔥 pic.twitter.com/IvmqnOAJYI
When Naz Reid was asked where he most loves playing, he smiled and shrewdly said ‘Here in LA.” When his hosts on Speak Content pressed him, he succumbed and clarified his answer between the Clippers and the Lakers: “Definitely the Lakers court, fo sho.”
Great performance, but the devil’s in the details
While the showmanship and flirtations make great stories, there are a lot of other factors that tend to be glossed over. Several teams are going to step up to the plate for an NBA-ready center who has demonstrated the ability to compete in the NBA.
Which team offers the most money? Which team offers the most significant role in the starting 5? Which team has the greatest chance of competing in the NBA Playoffs? And perhaps most of all, which team holds and controls his Bird Rights?
The Los Angeles Lakers are connected to every NBA free agent at some point in time. Right now, the flavor of the week is Minnesota Timberwolves backup center, Naz Reid. Will they sign him? They could, but as the team learned with other former Timberwolves players, they give off completely different vibes in the NBA Playoffs than in the regular season. Naz Reid missed the 2023 NBA Playoffs due to injury.
Unfortunately, Lakers star LeBron James has limited time left in the NBA and should insist on players who are proven to be effective competitors in the NBA Playoffs. I’m not certain that backup center Naz Reid meets those criteria for now. Stay tuned . . .