The Naz Reid Thread

Guidus88 · Post #141 » by **Guidus88** » Tue Mar 28, 2023 9:47 am

Note30 wrote:We need to resign Naz

definitely! He is a big part on our recent success.

Grubie024 · Post #142 » by **Grubie024** » Tue Mar 28, 2023 1:15 pm

My eye test tells me he's gotten better at defense and cleaned up mistakes over the past month or so. He was always fun to watch offensively but was giving up too much in other areas to really impact winning, but now... Man he's been so good. And so easy to root for. Would love to retain him at this point, which is a 180 for me.

moss_is_1 · Post #143 » by **moss_is_1** » Tue Mar 28, 2023 1:34 pm

Naz has made strides defensively for sure. He's almost like a big wing defensively with how well he moves on the perimeter. He still isn't very good defensively inside or rebounding but he is putting in the effort, and he's showing he can really play with another big. I'd love to be able to bring him back, and he obviously really likes being here.

jpatrick · Post #144 » by **jpatrick** » Tue Mar 28, 2023 1:55 pm

Grubie024 wrote:My eye test tells me he's gotten better at defense and cleaned up mistakes over the past month or so. He was always fun to watch offensively but was giving up too much in other areas to really impact winning, but now... Man he's been so good. And so easy to root for. Would love to retain him at this point, which is a 180 for me.

I don’t know what happened, but this is where I’m at too. Running two bigs worked very poorly the past couple years. And when Naz was the only big, he was poor defensively at center.

I don’t know how, but he’s been pretty good essentially playing PF with KAT or Gobert at center. I think he’s even been better at center.

I went from ready for him to leave to we need to sign him. Our bench doesn’t have a lot of scoring. It’s essentially only Naz unless Prince is on fire. We kind of need him to come back.

TimberKat · Post #145 » by **TimberKat** » Tue Mar 28, 2023 2:51 pm

jpatrick wrote:
Grubie024 wrote:My eye test tells me he's gotten better at defense and cleaned up mistakes over the past month or so. He was always fun to watch offensively but was giving up too much in other areas to really impact winning, but now... Man he's been so good. And so easy to root for. Would love to retain him at this point, which is a 180 for me.

I don’t know what happened, but this is where I’m at too. Running two bigs worked very poorly the past couple years. And when Naz was the only big, he was poor defensively at center.

I don’t know how, but he’s been pretty good essentially playing PF with KAT or Gobert at center. I think he’s even been better at center.

I went from ready for him to leave to we need to sign him. Our bench doesn’t have a lot of scoring. It’s essentially only Naz unless Prince is on fire. We kind of need him to come back.

He is still bad at defense and is in-between pwf and ct. Credit coach staff finding the best role for him. He will play some ct and pwf depending on matchup. His own improvement in shooting 3, bulldoze to the rim, playing at lighter weight are all the hard work he put in to get here.

Colbinii · Post #146 » by **Colbinii** » Tue Mar 28, 2023 3:21 pm

Big fan of resigning him. Him and SlowMo are perfect fits on both ends of the court.

Post #147 » by **Klomp** » Wed Mar 29, 2023 6:36 pm

shrink wrote:So Dane Moore had an insight that I never would have thought of.

Naz could be our Jamaal Crawford. Sixth man, offense off the bench!

I have been amazed at how productive Naz has been, at least in the first two games with Towns back. In the past, Naz’ numbers next to another center have always been bad. But as Dane pointed out, these have been three years where they’d try a couple minutes, Naz would make a mistake, and the coach would pull him. Lots of total minutes for relevant numbers, but if each time is just three minutes, a rhythm player like Naz is bound to struggle. In fact, even early this season this was happening, so much so that Naz even got some DNP-CDs with Gobert and Towns healthy.

These last two games have been eye-opening. For the first time, Naz has been given extended minutes with a center on the floor, and he’s looked fantastic. I would go so far as to say, we wouldn’t have even stayed competitive without him. Finch had him come in, and just be himself for long runs, and it worked great.

So my question is this. We often look at these instant offense sixth men as scoring guards. Could we see Naz do this role at 6-10? I have to imagine playing big for 48 minutes would start to wear down the opposing big men, and especially their big man bench.

Correct role. Wrong name.

He's our Malik Beasley.

Since the trade deadline, Reid is averaging 16.2 ppg in just 20.7 mpg.
Last season, Malik Beasley was averaging 12.1 ppg in 25.0 mpg

TwolvesFanRome · Post #148 » by **TwolvesFanRome** » Fri Mar 31, 2023 4:55 am

Read on Twitter

Post #149 » by **Domejandro** » Fri Mar 31, 2023 5:10 am

That is pretty devastating for Minnesota's hopes of making a strong post-season run. Hopefully Taurean Prince comes back fully healthy and can eat the majority of those minutes.

Post #150 » by **Calinks** » Fri Mar 31, 2023 6:47 am

Huge loss, he was pretty much our bench. The season has been horrible with injuries.

shangrila · Post #151 » by **shangrila** » Fri Mar 31, 2023 9:38 am

Hopefully Knight, Garza and/or Minott can step up and give us some good minutes.

Huge loss though.

moss_is_1 · Post #152 » by **moss_is_1** » Fri Mar 31, 2023 2:04 pm

Huge loss. Naz was playing great off the bench. I'd say Garza time, but we can't use him in the post season if we don't give him a roster spot.

Hopefully Prince is over his illness, we'll need him for sure.

TwolvesFanRome · Post #153 » by **TwolvesFanRome** » Fri Mar 31, 2023 2:20 pm

When he will recovery? WCFinals he will come back..

YaleS · Post #154 » by **YaleS** » Fri Mar 31, 2023 5:12 pm

Naz is balling, sad to see this. I don't remember player making such a big athletic jump, the guy works hard. With Towns back maybe Kyle and Garza will share his minutes.

TimberKat · Post #155 » by **TimberKat** » Fri Mar 31, 2023 9:28 pm

YaleS wrote:Naz is balling, sad to see this. I don't remember player making such a big athletic jump, the guy works hard. With Towns back maybe Kyle and Garza will share his minutes.

This team just cannot get a break ( no pun intended ). He is not coming back this season. I think the best path maybe a sign and trade and package him with Prince to create a larger salary slot for a high level asset like D Murray .

Dewey · Post #156 » by **Dewey** » Fri Mar 31, 2023 11:57 pm

YaleS wrote:Naz is balling, sad to see this. I don't remember player making such a big athletic jump, the guy works hard. With Towns back maybe Kyle and Garza will share his minutes.

Great way to sum it up

Post #157 » by **Klomp** » Sat Apr 1, 2023 12:02 am

He'll be back in time for the WCF

Read on Twitter

shrink · Post #158 » by **shrink** » Sat Apr 1, 2023 12:03 am

I hope that Jaylen Nowell’s shot has returned - we’ll need the scoring.

He at least looked fast when he came back last game.

[EDIT .. and, out again for tendinitis. Ugh]

shrink · Post #159 » by **shrink** » Sat Apr 1, 2023 4:36 am

Klomp wrote:He'll be back in time for the WCF

He kept our team competitive while we waited three months for KAT to get back.

I think the least we can do is return the favor, and stay alive until we get him back for the WCF.

Battletrigger · Post #160 » by **Battletrigger** » Sat Apr 1, 2023 2:51 pm

shrink wrote:
Klomp wrote:He'll be back in time for the WCF

He kept our team competitive while we waited three months for KAT to get back.

I think the least we can do is return the favor, and stay alive until we get him back for the WCF.

We will have to win two play in games first.