One of the biggest moves of the Minnesota Timberwolves' offseason was bringing back Naz Reid on a five-year $125 million deal. However, Marc Stein recently reported that the Phoenix Suns wanted to land Reid via a sign-and-trade.
"The Suns are well-stocked at center now after their recent trade for Charlotte's Mark Williams and the draft selection of Duke's Khaman Maluach with the No. 10 overall pick, but word is that first they tried to engage Minnesota in sign-and-trade discussions for Naz Reid before those moves." Marc Stein reported on The Stein Line.
It’s easy to see why the Suns would be interested in Reid, given their need for a center before the offseason began. Regardless, landing Reid was always a pipe dream for Phoenix given their cap situation and his value to the Wolves.
At face value, a mega sign-and-trade involving Reid could have been possible given the Wolves’ previous interest in Kevin Durant. However, it’s crucial to note that as a second-apron team, the Suns face significant sign-and-trade hurdles. Most notably, the sign-and-trade would have had to move the Suns below the second apron, and they can't aggregate salaries unless it's part of a multi-team deal.
Landing Reid was never realistic for the Suns
Before the offseason began, the Suns were $22 million over the second apron; they are now $12 million over the second apron. As a result, a Reid sign-and-trade would have been difficult, especially when accounting for the Wolves' own high payroll.
Alternatively, the Suns could have shed salaries before landing Reid. However, given that the Suns are still over the threshold, it's unlikely that this was ever possible. Furthermore, given Reid's importance to the Wolves, they wouldn't have been keen on engaging in these talks unless he had no interest in returning, which we, of course, know is not true.
Putting aside the second apron concerns, Durant was unwilling to go to Minnesota, which halted trade talks. Furthermore, most reports indicated that Durant-Timberwolves trade talks were centered around Rudy Gobert. This reflects the challenges of pulling off a sign-and-trade as a second apron squad, and that moving off Reid in any capacity was likely a non-starter for the Wolves. If Reid landed with the Suns separately from the Durant deal, it would be impossible unless Phoenix cut salary beforehand.
Reid’s rare blend of size, three-level scoring, and playmaking makes him an indispensable part of the Wolves’ core. Re-signing him was a clear priority for the Wolves heading into the offseason. Additionally, from Reid’s perspective, the Wolves offer him a better chance to compete for a title. Even if Phoenix had created the needed cap space to sign Reid, it’s unlikely they could have offered such a lucrative deal. Ultimately, from all angles, Reid returning to the Wolves was a logical outcome of the offseason.