The Brooklyn Nets (28-17) successfully snapped their losing streak at four games but they are far from in the clear. They are still slated to be without Kevin Durant for some time yet with the 12-time All-Star still donning a brace on his injured knee.
Durant is scheduled to be re-evaluated in the next week but the Nets know they cannot simply wait for his return to bolster their odds moving forward.
“They have been determined since they made the coaching change and started turning things around, they have wanted to make some personnel changes,” league sources tell Heavy Sports NBA insider Sean Deveney. “Durant being hurt, that does not change things for them…They were always very aggressive in looking for ways to get better.”
Perhaps that aggression could lead them to Minnesota Timberwolves big man Naz Reid.
Naz Reid Could Be an Option for Brooklyn
“Reid should have value, having emerged as a solid if unspectacular two-way center who can space the floor a little, rebound, and protect the rim,” writes The Athletic’s Seth Partnow. Certainly a few contenders…could do with a player of that profile.”
Partnow mentions the Los Angeles Clippers in addition to the Nets as potential suitors for Reid.
The 6-foot-9, 264-pound big man is averaging 10.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.0 assists, and 1.0 blocks in roughly 18 minutes per game for the seventh-seeded Timberwolves.
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Partnow also points out Karl-Anthony Towns’ calf strain that has kept him out since the end of November – a span of 27 games in which Minnesota has gone 14-13 – makes Reid virtually indispensable to the Timberwolves. But their commitments to Towns and Rudy Gobert ($72 million this season, $430 million going forward, per Spotrac.com) make Reid a luxury.
That doesn’t mean the Nets can acquire him easily, though.
“With Reid making only $1.9 million and entering unrestricted free agency,” notes Partnow, “getting a decent return could prove challenging.”
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The Nets could offer second-year big man Day’Ron Sharpe, essentially resetting the clock for Minnesota while getting a little more experience for themselves behind starter Nic Claxton who is having a breakout campaign.
Reid has also proven capable of logging heavy minutes averaging 18.4 PPG with 8.7 boards, 1.7 blocks, and 1.6 assists when he has seen at least 25 minutes this season. He is not a high-volume or particularly efficient three-point shooter at just 33.3% on 2.2 attempts per game this year. But he has knocked down better than 35% over an entire campaign in 2021.
Size and Versatility
Reid has logged ample minutes at the 4 even before Gobert’s arrival this past offseason. But it is fair to wonder if the Nets might want a little more from the perimeter in whomever they ultimately decide to pursue.
They have been linked to the likes of Dallas Mavericks big man Christian Wood and Orlando Magic stretch-5 Mo Bamba.
Both offer more offense from beyond the arc, albeit at a much higher cost than Reid.
Whatever the Nets do, they will be a team that seems poised to make some sort of move given how good they can be but how precarious that situation has proven to be. They need to bolster their ranks in the event of another significant injury and simply to withstand the rigors of a deep playoff run.
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Nets Floated as Trade Destination for Timberwolves Big Man