What once felt like a foreign situation for Naz Reid has now become an advantage. Naz was strictly seen as a center through his first three seasons in the Association. He made his way into the rotation, taking over for Gorgui Dieng, and never looked back, securing this position for the near future. When he was in lineups alongside Karl-Anthony Towns, it was likely situational or circumstantial.
When the Wolves acquired Rudy Gobert, Naz had to take a half step back and find his own pathway to coexisting with two players at his position ahead of him. That’s a big task to put on an undrafted player who had just recently found their footing. However, the challenge was not too big for Naz.
KAT’s early half injury was detrimental to the team and hindered the ability to get a large enough sample size of this new-look Wolves roster. However, it bought Reid just enough time to find his role within these new roster changes. While Naz was still seeing a comfortable amount of minutes at the backup 5, it was time to show how he could use his dynamic play on the ball to his advantage.
Most of Ried’s impact came directly from his on-ball skills and shooting, which took leaps from what already had a formidable lead over your average NBA big. Naz has been able to plug his energy into any lineup and showcase something different each time out. What differentiated this past season from others was how much more efficient he became. He shot career-high percentages at the rim and on non-corner threes. Both of these are incredibly vital looks for Naz. That’s where he operates the most when he is a screener or off-the-catch.
Here is how he stacked up against other bigs in the league in those two key statistics. All stats via Cleaningtheglass.com:
- 2019/20 | 60% at the rim (57/95) 18th % | 31% on non-corner 3P (23/74) 37th %
- 2020/21 | 68% at the rim (182/268) 62nd % | 37% on non-corner 3P (46/125) 61st %
- 2021/22 | 65% at the rim (135/209) 32nd % | 30% on non-corner 3P (35/118) 31st %
- 2022/23 | 60% at the rim (181/236) 83rd % | 37% on non-corner 3P (63/169) 67th %
These above-average percentages have not only allowed Naz to be a dynamic PnR partner and screening partner for guards. It also makes him a movable piece around the perimeter or as a popper. Rudy and KAT are more likely to stray towards the paint than Naz, which would clog up the offensive flow.
That highlighted the value Naz brings to the Wolves. They can use him effectively as a perimeter player, he has the versatility to score around the rim better than the NBA average. That’s a skillset and archetype that is difficult to find or develop. Kyle Anderson comes from a similar angle, but Naz is still quicker, can shoot, and finishes better at the rim.
That was specifically evident in the Wolves preseason matchup with the New York Knicks this past week, where Naz lit up New York from beyond the arc en route to 22 points and five three-pointers made in only 19 minutes played. He operated as a spot-up shooter, making 4-of-5 threes when KAT or Rudy were on the floor alongside him.
Naz still sees a prominent role as a corner three-point shooter, consistently averaging around 150 to 200 attempts a season from that spot. However, the more he can develop in awkward situations above the break and surrounded by the ball rather than waiting in the corner for a kickout, the better.
It only makes him more valuable as a player but also more versatile as the Wolves attempt to figure out the offensive side of the ball this season. A more refined skillset will give him the ability to play from each spot along the perimeter while still having the threat to take players off the dribble if they close out too hard or make them pay if they sag off.
That overall development not only puts Naz in a better position for personal success. It also gives the team another multifaceted player to work deeper into the rotation and give more key minutes to. If the Wolves want to find the best ways to work with KAT and Rudy, they should heavily consider keeping Naz nearby in those discussions with how much he can serve as a link between the bigs and the guards/wings.
