Player Signings (Non-Celtic)

Let me be the first to wish you well ...

... while assessing all the first-round picks from the 2019 NBA draft who are eligible for rookie-scale extensions — Pincus (B/R Blog) predicted that Grant Williams, the No. 22 pick that June, would be in line for a team-friendly deal.

Pincus’ prognostication would be that Williams will sign a contract with an average annual value of just $11 million, which is several below what HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto predicted. Scotto placed Williams ‘probably in the $12-14 million territory’ but thinks ‘$15 million is not out of the question.

Here was what Pincus ‘penciled in’ for Williams, who he lumped in a group with Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke and Philadelphia 76ers wing Mattise Thybulle, in his rookie scale extension piece:

Which reminds me.... if the Sox pay Nathan E more than 5 mil/year, I'm finished with them. No I'm not joking!

Can you feel me, PeeWee?

Pud

Instead of Vonleh or Grant?

They'd like a FRDP for him but likely settle for a pair of Seconds. If he got his 3pt% up 10-20 pts Brad would definitely be interested.

Me? Haven't seen too much of him but stats/salary look sufficient as a B/U Center.

If they keep Vonleh along with Griffin, and Rob comes back along with Grant, Al & Kornet will be too heavy in "Bigus Dickus" and a lightweight in the Wing dept.

I favor another SF if they keep Vonleh right now.

Is It Time To Trade Naz Reid?
By Phil Ford - October 7, 2022

The Minnesota Timberwolves are less than two weeks from beginning their most anticipated season in two decades. If you read anything on this site, you would think that everyone who puts on a Wolves jersey this year is in line for the greatest season of their careers. But with all the excitement and new faces, there’s one returning player who might be fitting out more than he fits in this season.

Naz Reid is in a tough spot. The fourth-year center is already looking like the odd man out in the frontcourt. All he’s known in his three years in the NBA is being the backup center behind Karl-Anthony Towns. Now, Towns is shifting to power forward to make room for Rudy Gobert, one of the greatest centers of the last 10 years. Add in the likes of Jaden McDaniels, Taurean Prince, Nathan Knight, and Kyle Anderson, and the frontcourt rotation minutes disappear quickly. Reid, 23, is a proven young player, but wasting his talents deep on the bench won’t help Minnesota win a playoff series for the first time since 2004. It might be best for all parties for the Wolves to look into trading Reid for future assets.

Reid’s minutes began to slip last season when he played a career-low 15.8 minutes per game. A mix of Towns playing 74 games for the first time since 2019, the rise of McDaniels and Jarred Vanderbilt, and the exposure of the flaws in Naz’s game led to the regression. The Memphis Grizzlies continuously played Reid off the floor in last year’s first-round playoff series. In the five games he appeared in during the series, Naz averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks while playing just 10.8 minutes per game. He hit three of his seven three-point attempts, but that’s about it.

Naz Reid has always had defensive limitations and issues scoring against lengthy defenders. The KAT and Naz playing at the same time experiment went poorly last year, and his fit next to Gobert would probably be even worse. Chris Finch has stated his desire to have one of Towns and Gobert on the court at all times this season, leaving very little wiggle room for Naz and his specific skillsets to get any meaningful run. Instead of burying him on the bench only to dust off in emergencies, it might be best for the Timberwolves to shop Reid while his value is still relatively high.

So, what could the Wolves realistically get in return for a 23-year-old 6’9″ center who can knock down a corner three? Naz is in the last year of a four-year, $6.1 million contract and will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. Since the Wolves broke the trade market earlier this offseason by sending a king’s ransom to Utah for Gobert, who knows what other teams are willing to give up for a solid backup center? Therefore, it becomes a matter of if the Timberwolves can squeeze a first-round pick out of a team that needs a large man who can get buckets and play 20 minutes per game.

Let’s look at some of the most recent transactions around the NBA that don’t include the blockbuster trades for Gobert, Dejounte Murray, and Donovan Mitchell. The Detroit Pistons sent Jerami Grant and a second-round pick to the Portland Trail Blazers for a future first and two future seconds. And the Atlanta Hawks traded Kevin Huerter to the Sacramento Kings for Maurice Harkless, Justin Holliday, and a future first. While not the most comparable players to Naz Reid, these deals can help inform what a non-All-NBA talent is worth.

Grant is a good-not-great fringe All-Star reserve candidate for the last few years who is about to be the second-best player on a 36-win Blazers team. Getting a first and two seconds for a starting power forward who ESPN ranked as the 64th best player in the NBA seems to put a pretty low ceiling on what the Wolves can realistically get for Reid. A first-round pick from a team that looks to be in the lottery next season is extremely valuable. However, a late lottery first and two seconds is much closer to Reid’s actual value than the absolute hauls teams gave up for Murray, Mitchell, and Gobert.

If Grant’s value makes you worry, Huerter should restore faith that the Wolves can get good value for Reid. While his skillsets are more coveted around the league than Grant’s, Huerter didn’t sniff ESPN’s top 100 players. Still, he’s probably not that far off, making his value closer to what the Wolves could hope for Reid. The inclusion of Harkless and Holiday probably equates to adding a second-rounder or two in the trade as journeymen role players. Another team not expected to make the playoffs jettisoning a first-round pick and some add-ons for a decent starting shooting guard should give fans hope that Tim Connelly and Co. can trick some unsuspecting mediocre franchise into overpaying for Naz. After all, it’s something teams have been doing to the Timberwolves for the last 20 years.


Naz has grown from an undrafted player to a talented center who should have a ten-year career in the league. He’s become a fan favorite, and it will be hard to see him go. But his talents are wasted on a team that no longer needs him. It’s a cold business sometimes, but getting as much value for Reid now might be in the best interest of the Wolves to sustain their success beyond this year.