Thanks to his unconventional journey to success, aesthetically pleasing playstyle, and work in the community, Naz Reid became a fan favorite with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Still, Reid was always a super-sub playing behind Rudy Gobert, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Julius Randle after KAT was traded. Timberwolves fans naturally wondered what Reid would look like in a bigger role, and after Randle was traded for about 48 hours, it looked like this question would be answered in Minnesota.
Of course, Reid was sent to the Charlotte Hornets as part of the LaMelo Ball trade. Now, Reid has a chance to show the world what he can do in a scaled-up role.
The Hornets can unlock the actualized version of Naz Reid
Reid is slated to be Charlotte's starting power forward. Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel will be the team's top two options, but the opportunity for Reid to be the third option is there (Coby White is his primary competitor for this role).
And there's some real evidence to suggest that Reid has another gear to reach. Simply from a consistency standpoint, being in the starting lineup should help Reid. Furthermore, in 51 games as a starter over the past four seasons, Reid has averaged 17.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.4 assists. That's a sizable increase from his overall averages of 13.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.7 assists during this stretch.
Reid's game on paper should also lend itself to a bigger role. He is a remarkably good self-creator for his size. Given the Timberwolves' established talent, Reid mainly played a spot-up, play-finishing role. Still, he showed flashes of his upside as a creator, ranking in the 88th percentile for one-on-one shot-making per Basketball Index. Eye test-wise, Reid's comfort level with the ball in his hands popped off the screen, and it's something that can rarely be seen for a player of his size.
Another factor that needs to be considered: Reid is an ideal fit for Charlotte's system that prioritizes 3-point shooting and quick decision-making.
It truly feels like the stars are aligned for Reid to level up with Charlotte.
Now, this strong possibility shouldn't cause the Timberwolves to regret trading Reid. The deal netted them a high-end co-star for Anthony Edwards, who filled their longtime need for playmaking. There's no doubt it would have been awesome to see Reid unlock his full potential in Minnesota, though. Unfortunately, the opportunity was never there due to the Wolves' roster construction.
Regardless, Timberwolves fans will be rooting for Reid in Charlotte, and if he reaches another level, everyone in Minnesota will be smiling.
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