I think every Minnesota Timberwolves fan understands that Naz Reid is a key part of the team's success. He's one of the most beloved players in franchise history. Everybody's favorite two words are Naz Reid. However, the first 15 games of the season are showing just how crucial Reid is to the Wolves' success.
In the Wolves' 10 wins, Reid is averaging 14.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.1 assists on 49.1/39.7/84.6 shooting splits. Conversely, in the Wolves' five losses, Reid is averaging 10.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.8 assists, on 40.8/33.3/37.5 shooting splits. Likewise, when Reid scores 20-plus points, the Wolves are 3-0, but when he scores fewer than five points, they're just 1-3.
The results are clear: when Reid is at his best, so are the Wolves. After back-to-back conference finals the Timberwolves are hoping to get make a championship run and Reid's play will be a key part of this success.
Naz Reid can help the Timberwolves reach another level
It's not exactly hard to understand why Reid playing at a high level is paired with winning for the Wolves. Having a skilled 6-foot-9 big man who can drain 3-pointers is a luxury for the Wolves. If their stars (Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle), along with Reid, are all playing well, this makes them unstoppable. However, Reid can give Minnesota a much-needed spark when their stars are struggling.
Fresh off signing a five-year $125 million deal this summer, Reid's importance to the team increased. While they play totally different positions, losing Nickeil Alexander-Walker also impacted Reid's role. As did Chris Finch's lineup change, which moved Donte DiVincenzo into the starting five with Mike Conley assuming a bench role. After this, Reid became the lone bench player the Wolves could count on for consistent scoring.
Currently, the Wolves rank 27th for bench points per game, and Reid's 13.3 ppg make up 40 percent of the team's bench points. We already discussed the positive side of Reid's play, and at his best, he looks like the league's best sixth man by far. However, the flip side is that when Reid struggles, the Wolves get essentially zero bench production. That's a problem.
Ultimately, for the Wolves to reach their ceiling, they need Reid to be on his A-game. Thankfully, he's trending upwards, averaging 23 points in the past three games. I feel confident saying that the 2023-24 Sixth Man of the Year will provide consistent production for the remainder of the season.