Naz Reid drops an uncomfortable truth bomb about key Timberwolves problem

After back-to-back playoff exits against the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder, it's clear that the Minnesota Timberwolves are a notch below true title contention. To reach that next level, the Wolves must make some roster changes. At the same time, it felt like there were some personality and chemistry issues throughout the year.

During his exit interview, Naz Reid made it clear that he believes these issues were more of a factor against both the Spurs this year and the Thunder last year. 

"Probably just moodiness," Reid said when he was asked what the gap between the Wolves and these two teams is. "You look at both of those teams, and they're playing for one another. They're excited to be on the court with one another. They're a team where they're selfless, like I mentioned before. So I think just probably some of those aspects. I think we have more than enough talent. I think we have more than enough guys bringing it to the table and can compete at a high level, but just being less moody. I think that's just the name of the game for us, just being less moody and more selfless and just carrying ourselves with championship aspirations like we've done before." 

Naz Reid's blunt assessment of the Timberwolves is backed up by evidence

Hearing this as Naz's teammate could very well feel uncomfortable, but if you gave everyone on the team some truth serum, I'm sure they'd agree with Reid. 

In fairness, it would have looked a lot worse if Reid bashed the team for not having enough talent. Regardless, there's a lot of honesty in his comments. Throughout the season, the Wolves were super inconsistent, and at times, it looked like their collective low mood dragged down their chances. 

Truthfully, this team was far too talented to finish as the No. 6 seed, and their moodiness appeared to be the root cause of these inconsistencies. These issues showed up against the Spurs, too. Three of the Wolves' four losses to the Spurs were blowouts. These games were over from the opening tip. 

While the Wolves have been known for their ability to mount comebacks, far too often they simply fold when the going gets tough. 

Whether it's their shaky ball movement, inattentive half-court defense, or simply not getting back in transition, a lack of energy is evident from watching on TV, and that's clearly connected with moodiness.

A not-so-subtle shot at Julius Randle?

I don't want to pile up on Julius Randle, who is receiving an immense amount of criticism after a disastrous second-round series. However, the reality is that Randle is one of the biggest culprits of this moody mindset. If he misses a shot early, he keeps forcing difficult looks, and this is often paired with a lack of defensive discipline. 

Arguing that Randle is the lone player whose moodiness affects the team is disingenuous. Still, he's certainly the first name you'd think of on the team when you hear the word moody.

It's unclear whether or not Reid meant this as a shot at Randle. However, if you want to believe he did, I think that's a valid perspective. 

Generally speaking, it's hard to imagine a scenario where Randle is on the team next year, as the Wolves must get some high-end shot creation next to Anthony Edwards. 

In any event, the Wolves must improve their roster construction and overall mentality to reach the next level. 

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