Minnesota Timberwolves center Naz Reid was a five-star recruit coming out of Asbury Park, New Jersey. After an impressive freshman season with the LSU Tigers, Reid decided to take his talent to the pros by entering the 2019 NBA Draft.
Yet, Reid weighed 256 pounds and had a body fat ratio of 14%, by far the highest rate at the combine. He went overlooked and ended up going undrafted, landing with the Timberwolves on a two-way contract. Just 12 days later, Reid had earned an actual multi-year contract but was still assigned to the G League for more seasoning.
But the young 6-foot-9 center quickly realized he needed to work on his conditioning and reported to training camp heading into his second season having lost 30 pounds, and he’s only continued to improve.
Reid has developed into one of coach Chris Finch’s best bench players, averaging career-highs in points, rebounds, and effective FG% last season.
- Naz Reid’s stats last season: 11.5 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 53% FG, 34% 3PT
Despite the presence of Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert, Reid still played a key role, averaging 18.4 minutes per game, becoming the team’s leading scorer off the bench.
Yet, his absence in the Timberwolves’ first-round playoff matchup against the NBA champion Denver Nuggets was noticeable, as Reid had fractured his left wrist after another hard fall, one of many during the season.
Despite Reid’s strong season, he was potentially facing a bitter end to his career in the Twin Cities, with the 23-year-old set for restricted free agency this summer. However, according to Adrian Wojnarowski, Timberwolves president Tim Connelly has reached a three-year, $42 million agreement with Reid, keeping him in town through the 2026 season. The contract also includes a player option, giving Reid a bit more control over his situation on the final year of his deal.
Arguably the biggest priority for the Wolves’ front office entering the offseason was finding a way to retain Reid, who’s become one of the most well-liked players in the locker room and in the stands. With another key bench contributor locked in, now the team may want to find a way to find a backup point guard either to spell Mike Conley or to eventually take over the starting role.
Meanwhile, Naz Reid’s journey from being an undrafted rookie fighting for a spot has finally paid off in a big way, earning a contract paying $14 million per season.
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