Naz Reid has always had to adapt throughout his professional basketball career. He went from a consensus five-star prospect to going undrafted out of LSU. He accepted the first two-way deal a team offered him, completely transformed his body, and probably played in games before he was fully prepared. But he’s become an invaluable piece of the first-place team in the Western Conference.
Throughout it all, Reid has showcased one of the most underrated abilities in basketball. He’s always adapted to the players around him. That ability will keep a role player in the league for a long time, and Naz has demonstrated adaptability to perfection.
Naz is the second longest-tenured Wolves player, only behind Karl-Anthony Towns. That means he’s seen plenty of roster turnover as he became a staple of the rotation. He benefited from the chaos of playing on underachieving teams because he got ample playing time. Getting consistent reps on the court against NBA talent as he developed was vital for Reid.
As he earned more trust, the Wolves occasionally tooled around with Naz playing at the 4. That way, he could get extra minutes while helping KAT out defensively and with rebounds due to his size. Still, Naz’s ability to be a viable shooter from three made these minutes easy. That was always a feature of Naz’s unique playstyle. He shot 28/84 (33.3%) from beyond the arc at LSU, but it became a staple of his game in the NBA. Reid took 40% of his shots from three in his rookie campaign.
Naz continued to increase his volume from three every year. Better efficiency accompanied that increase in volume. Nothing has rivaled the leap he has taken this season, though. He continued to see more minutes at the 4, allowing him to play comfortably next to Rudy Gobert and KAT after the Gobert trade.
Reid is putting up career-high marks in three-point percentage, three-point attempts per game, and total three-pointers in a season. He’s also never shot better on above-the-break or open threes.
Reid’s improvements aren’t a coincidence. Naz has put in the work and become a better shooter every year. However, the Wolves have had to rely on Naz much more as a scorer, creator, and catch-and-shoot three-point shooter this season. They have thrown him into more situations where he needs to get his shot up quickly because the possession could stall otherwise.
Naz has always been a fearless shooter, and he always seems to make his first three-point attempts within a minute of subbing in. Reid always brings plenty of shot quality to the team, which sustains their efficiency and gives them a better chance to stay in the game during bench minutes.
Reid’s quickness, ball-handling ability, and shooting are something that few bigs possess. When opponents press up on him like teams defend KAT to take away his three-point shots, Naz beats them with quickness off the dribble. But when defenders sag off him, he makes them pay by putting up a quick shot.
Most importantly, he can get a quick shot off from anywhere on the floor. He offers versatility as a popper off a ball screen who can also be the flair man in the Horns Flair the Wolves frequently run.
But when Reid cannot generate offense off those actions, he relocates to the corners after a roll to the rim. Or he finds the open space across the top of the arc to give his teammate a better pass or create a better shot for himself.
Naz currently ranks second on the team in corner three-point attempts with 79, one behind Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who has attempted 80. Naz also ranks fourth on the team in above-the-break three-point attempts. In addition to his efficiency, that highlights how vital Naz’s shooting has been for the Wolves. And it could not have come during a more fitting season.
Minnesota ranks 27th in the league in three-point volume, attempting 31.5 a game. However, they rank second in the league in three-point shooting (39.1%). Suppose Naz can match Mike Conley, Towns, and Anthony Edwards’s volume and efficiency. That will enable the Timberwolves to keep enough shooting on the court to stay afloat offensively. The Wolves are lucky to have a player as unique as Naz to be their spark plug off the bench because he has filled multiple offensive roles all season.
