With under a week until the Boston Celtics’ $17.2 million trade exception expires on July 18, time is running out for Brad Stevens to make a move.
Of course, the pressure on Stevens has drastically reduced following the additions of Malcolm Brogdon and Danilo Gallinari via trade and free agency respectively. Still, Boston is in dire need of an additional big man, capable of deputizing for Robert Williams and filling in as a spot starter when required.
Enter Naz Ried, the six-foot-nine rim-runner with an impressive three-point shooting stroke. According to NBA analyst Keith Smith in a recent article for CelticsBlog, Reid could be one of the more attainable big men via trade this off-season, courtesy of the Minnesota Timberwolves blockbuster trade for Rudy Gobert.
“The Wolves are acquiring Rudy Gobert. Presumably, they’ll also play Karl-Anthony Towns at center some when Gobert sits. That could make Reid and his barely-above-minimum deal available,” Smith wrote in his July 6 column.
Ried, 22, has impressed with the Timberwolves since joining their roster as an undrafted rookie and has gone on to make 177 appearances for them during his three years with the team, with 32 of them coming as a starter.
Reid Could be a Perfect Fit for Boston
In his young career, Ried has begun to earn some recognition as being one of the better rotational big men in the NBA, as his rim protection, rebounding, and floor spacing ability all perfectly align with the requirements of a modern-day center.
Reid’s shot profile is also incredibly diverse for a low-cost center, with 31% of his offense coming from beyond the perimeter, 52% at the rim, and just 17% in the mid-range, which of course, makes his shot selection analytically favorable too. In terms of shot conversion, Reid finished this past season shooting 35% from deep, 65% at the rim, and 32% from mid-range, while posting averages of 8.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks per game.
While you’ve highly unlikely to get a perfect backup for Robert Williams’ incredible play, Reid is certainly one of the better options on the market. The New Jersey native fits Boston’s contention timeline, adds size, shooting, and rim protection, and is a genuine rim-runner in transition, and of course, his overall defense has improved under Chris Finch, especially over the last 18 months.
Is Reid Attainable
Heading into the off-season, it seemed unlikely that Reid would be an acheiveable target, given his importance to the Timberwolves off the bench. However, the addition of Gobert has changed that perception, and now, Reid could be a potential casualty of Minnesota’s logjam at the center position.
Furthermore, the young big man is on the final year of his $6.1 million contract, and is due just $1.9 million for the upcoming season. So, adding Reid would ensure Boston didn’t drift deeper into the luxury tax, while still improving their roster in the immediate.
Another important aspect to note, is that Boston could make this deal by sending some protect draft stock to the Timberwolves, as their trade exception removes the necessity of salary matching, which means Stevens could ‘add without taking away’ – something which he spoke about during a July 12 media appearance.
“So, to add from here, we talked about obviously it’s great to have the green light to continue to add in any which way we need, but one of the things I will keep focusing on is adding without taking away,” Stevens told the media during the introductory press conference for Brogdon and Gallinari.
Of course, the Timberwolves would need to be willing to enter into trade negotiations, and may view Reid as an valuable insurance policiy, but if they were to make him available, Boston is a team that makes perfect sense, as Reid fills all of their needs at the center position.
Celtics Could Target $6 Million Center With Trade Exception