One of the biggest offseason tasks for the Minnesota Timberwolves can now be crossed off the list. Fans had been eager to hear news on Naz Reid and whether the team would be able to keep the coveted free agent around for next season and beyond.
On Sunday afternoon, Adrian Wojnarowski announced that Minnesota and Reid have officially agreed to a three-year deal worth $42 million. The Timberwolves’ back up center will be remaining in the Twin Cities while being paid around $14 million per season over the next three years.
There is no way to overstate it. Getting Naz Reid signed to a new contract and avoiding losing him in free agency is a colossal win for the Timberwolves. After weeks of speculation and multiple other teams showing interest in signing Reid, Minnesota comes away with yet another big win for the front office.
Timberwolves center Naz Reid has agreed on a new three-year, $42 million deal with a player option, his agents Sean Kennedy and Jeff Schwartz of @excelbasketball tell ESPN. Undrafted out of LSU, Reid had his best season with 11.5 points and 4.9 rebounds. pic.twitter.com/YtBjdggxMa
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 25, 2023
Re-signing Naz Reid was a massive win for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Timberwolves President Tim Connelly has received heavy criticism for how the Rudy Gobert trade was handled last summer. But ever since then, the moves he has made have been overwhelmingly positive, and this is the latest example.
Many fans in Minnesota were prepared for the team to lose Naz Reid in free agency given how many teams had ample cap space to sign the big man to a bigger contract. In the end, Wolves management was able to convince him to stay, which will undoubtedly only increase his status as a fan favorite.
Arguably the most important caveat of this news is how cheap Naz’s new contract is. After the breakout season he enjoyed in 2022-23, many figured he was on his way to a huge payday.
The price tag on Naz Reid’s new contract is the icing on the cake for the Timberwolves.
Looking at Reid’s stats from last season, he had certainly earned his way to a larger paycheck. His 11.5 points per game, 54% shooting from the field, and 4.9 rebounds per game were all career-highs. He played a huge part in helping the Timberwolves secure a playoff spot despite being down a starter for the majority of the regular season.
Reid could have assuredly had a larger role on a different team. With his physical style of play and scoring versatility, Big Jelly was one of the most coveted free agents across the entire NBA landscape this summer.
Getting Naz Reid back on a relatively team-friendly deal has to feel like a big weight off the shoulders of Timberwolves management.