Coming into the season, the Timberwolves were regarded as one of the strongest teams at the center position, but now their big man depth is being tested. First, established big man Karl-Anthony Towns went down in late November against the Washington Wizards with a calf injury and has been out ever since. He was initially expected to miss 4-6 weeks, and the Timberwolves were prepared to compensate for his absence over that stretch.
Then, however, their biggest off-season addition, Rudy Gobert, suffered an ankle injury and has missed three games thus far. With both their starting big men out, reserve center Naz Reid was thrust into the starting lineup for the first time against the Oklahoma City Thunder and did not disappoint. In fact, he outperformed expectations.
Reid initially went undrafted in 2019 and started on a two-way contract with the Timberwolves before establishing himself as their backup center.
Reid saw rather inconsistent minutes with the arrival of All-Star big man Gobert before injuries collapsed Minnesota’s twin towers. Over that time, Reid stayed ready and welcomed the chance to show what he could do with some extended playing time.
In 37 minutes during his first stint as a starter, he recorded 28 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block, making it one of the best games he has ever played in his young career. Reid traditionally plays well against the small Thunder team, using his size and strength to his advantage. In this season’s first game against the Thunder, he actually grabbed a career-high 18 rebounds and scored 13 points to make up for Towns’ absence.
Reid’s offensive versatility has been on full display this season.
Reid is a strong rebounder and a big presence in the paint, but he showed in this latest contest against Oklahoma that he can be much more than that. He does not do a lot of traditional center post-up work but instead roams around the perimeter, where he directs traffic quite a bit in a five-out setting.
Usually, he sets one or two screens for the guards around the three-point line and then gets into position to rebound. Reid also likes having the ball in his own hands on the perimeter, though. He is incredibly comfortable handling the ball for a big man and loves to drive into the paint rather than posting up.
When Reid is the only big man in the Timberwolves’ lineup, he brings a presence to the court that is very different from Gobert’s traditional big-man game and more alike to Towns’ style of playing. He is a dynamic driver who uses more than just his size to beat defenses.
He also poses as a three-point threat, which opens up the floor for youngster Anthony Edwards to get to the rim. This is exactly the kind of game Edwards thrives in, and the two of them seem very comfortable playing with each other.
Next to Gobert, Reid is utilized as more of a catch-and-shoot three-point threat in the corner than a screener or passer. This is not a combination the Timberwolves use a lot, though, and Reid seems much more comfortable being the only big man on the floor, enjoying the freedom of moving between the paint and the perimeter. That is a good thing for the diminished Timberwolves because Reid had no issues fitting seamlessly into the starting lineup and doing everything they need him to do as the lone center.
Reid’s defense has been huge for the Timberwolves
In his first start, he was the depleted team’s top scorer and made some big shots, including a three that put them ahead again after losing a big lead to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the third quarter.
His impact goes far beyond scoring, though. With his three steals and one block, Reid also showed that he can have quite the defensive impact for a team that is missing one of the best shot blockers in the entire NBA.
Granted, the Timberwolves faced a small team in the Thunder, allowing Reid to use his size to his advantage, but facing smaller players also brings up a whole new array of challenges for big players. Reid, however, has few problems picking up ballhandlers in transition or switching onto guards either on the perimeter or in the paint. Unlike many other centers in the league, Reid has no issue sliding his feet and cleanly staying in front of quick ballhandlers.
He currently has the second-best defensive rating on the Timberwolves’ roster, just behind three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert. Against the Thunder, he guarded a quick and explosive Gilgeous-Alexander, who loves to get to the rim and is rarely denied for 15.2 possessions. Over that stretch, Gilgeous-Alexander shot only 1-8 from the field. He also made all four of his free throws, but not every big man—or guard, for that matter—can stay with Gilgeous-Alexander and contest his shots.
Reid is thriving as a starter
Reid thrives offensively and defensively against other backup centers, but he does not falter against star-caliber big men either. He guarded Giannis Antetokounmpo for 20.4 possessions. Over those possessions, Antetokounmpo shot only 2-5 from the field. Considering what a skilled scorer Antetokounmpo is and what kind of presence he has in the paint, that is quite the feat for Minnesota’s reserve center.
In his second stint as the starting center against the Chicago Bulls, Reid showed no signs of slowing down, scoring the Timberwolves’ first 10 points before an injury took him out of the game early in the second quarter. Luckily, it was nothing serious, and Reid returned again the next night to face the Dallas Mavericks.
He started once again, as the team breathed a sigh of relief that they did not lose their third big man, and recorded a double-double with 27 points, 13 rebounds, 1 block, and 2 steals.
With those numbers, Reid led the Timberwolves to a 116-106 win together with Edwards and proved once again that he is ready to provide meaningful center minutes.
After three games without their twin towers, all signs point to the same conclusion; Naz Reid seamlessly transitioned into his new role and is ready to hold down the fort while his teammates recover. He is proving that he can carry the Timberwolves through this tough, injury-ridden stretch and is also staking a claim on minutes in the future, as he looks ready to take on a bigger role than that of a third-in-line reserve center.
No matter what the future holds for Reid once he becomes a free agent, though, the Timberwolves would be struggling right now if not for him.