One of the primary reasons why the Julius Randle-Rudy Gobert frontcourt failed was the lack of floor spacing. The Minnesota Timberwolves are widely expected to trade at least one of Randle or Gobert this summer.
To close the gap between them and the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder, a frontcourt shakeup is needed. Likewise, the Wolves' best chance of offsetting the rim protection from these two teams is to lean into shooting as much as possible.
Thankfully, Naz Reid earning a starting spot is the perfect remedy to this need.
Reid's shooting is needed for the Wolves to level up and build around Ant
It's not a coincidence that Reid was one of the few Wolves players who had a productive series against the Spurs. Notably, in the second-round he averaged 14.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 2.2 assists, on 50.8/45.5/70 shooting splits.
Reid's blend of 3-point shooting and quick decision-making is undoubtedly why he had success against the Spurs.
More generally, though, the Wolves would benefit from a system that prioritizes floor spacing, and Reid can help the Wolves adopt this identity.
Even if the Wolves trade Gobert in addition to Rudy, they'll have a tough time fully leaning into a five-out system. Simply put, not that many players can protect the rim and space the floor. However, Reid's presence in the starting lineup can maximize the spacing of the Wolves' frontcourt.Â
As a team, the Wolves ranked just 17th in 3-point attempts and 14th in 3-pointers made. And that's with one of the league's best 3-point shooters, Donte DiVincenzo, playing in every single game.
Without a doubt, the Wolves will have to increase their 3-point volume to maximize their chances of competing for a title in a conference dominated by elite rim protection.
Beyond that, Reid's presence as a floor spacer will open up more driving lanes for Anthony Edwards. Reid's skill set as a play finisher and floor spacer is a much cleaner fit alongside Ant than Randle's isolation-centric style. He is simply essential to the Wolves' success in every possible way.
Reid will turn 27 before next season begins. Even with him earning a spot in the starting five, I'm not anticipating a major scoring leap. Regardless, it's possible that starting could help Reid avoid some of the inconsistencies we've seen from him throughout his career.
The bigger picture, though, is that the Wolves need floor spacing, and Reid earning a spot in the starting lineup following a seemingly inevitable Randle trade can help Minnesota fill this void.
Of course, simply promoting Reid to the starting lineup won't solve all of the Wolves' problems. They'll still need some extra creation, ball handling, and depth (hopefully they can find this on the trade market).
Nevertheless, Reid projects to be a big part of the Wolves' success next season, and giving him an increased role could be a key factor in the team becoming a true title contender.
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