The start of the NBA regular season is right around the corner but Bleacher Report recently proposed an intriguing trade between two up-and-coming teams. The San Antonio Spurs probably have the league’s best young core, which now includes 2023 number-one pick Victor Wembanyama.
His arrival signals a new era in San Antonio and will speed up their timeline, so much so that they could make a deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Under Bleacher Report’s proposed deal, the Spurs would ship out veteran sharpshooter Doug McDermott and two second-round picks for Minnesota’s backup center, Naz Reid. But would either team do the deal?
Grade the Trade: Spurs add Naz Reid in this proposed deal with the Wolves.
From Minnesota’s perspective, Reid gives them an insurance policy and a potential replacement for All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns. Towns could be traded this season and Reid appears to be ready for a bigger role, plus he is both younger and much cheaper.
Trading him would make it harder to move Towns without a replacement in place or another power forward coming back in the deal. In this proposal, only McDermott would, and Bleacher Report’s reasoning is that the Wolves are in desperate need of shooting.
Thus, shipping out a valuable backup is apparently worth it to add one of the best shooters in the NBA. Meanwhile, the Spurs already have a good starting center who is just a couple of years older than Reid. Zach Collins will start at center for San Antonio and it seems clear they believe in his talent.
In the summer of 2021, the Spurs pounced, giving him a 3-year deal, even though he couldn’t stay healthy in Portland. Since then, he has become one of the better backup big men in the NBA and averaged 16.7 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 3.6 assists, as a starter after the trade deadline last season.
His numbers will probably go down this season playing with Wembanyama and on a non-tanking Spurs. Still, he can score in the post, knock down threes, pass, and is an improved rim protector. Reid is under contract for three years while Collins is on an expiring deal, though the Spurs will have plenty of cap space should they decide to try and re-sign him.
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Were the Spurs to offer a first-rounder along with McDermott and two seconds, or even a Collins for Reid swap, then the Wolves would be more likely to say yes. Of course, Reid and Collins are close enough in terms of age and talent that the Spurs would probably decide against either deal for Reid. A deal for Towns, on the other hand… With the trade seemingly making little sense for both teams, Bleacher Report’s proposal gets a D.