It will be difficult to get playing time behind Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns, and Wolves have decided against signing an additional interior. As for three years, it is Naz Reid who will be in the rotation, and the good surprise of this pre-season is that he has gained in versatility, and that he can play with Gobert or Towns. All while being effective as he proved against the Clippers with 20 points and 11 rebounds.
” I want to be able to play in multiple positions, defend in multiple positions and help the team in any way “he had announced during the media day. This is what he demonstrated during this preseason, taking advantage of the absence of a sick Karl-Anthony Towns or a resting Rudy Gobert to appear in the starting lineup as a strong winger or pivot depending on the needs.
” It will be difficult to play with three interiors, and it always has been. But we try to get him used to playing in 4 » testifies his coach, Chris Finch. ” He spent the whole summer preparing for it, and it gives us great confidence in both cases. »
To play 4, Naz Reid will need to improve his mobility, especially in defense, as you have to move his 120 kilos against faster and smaller wingers. ” When you want to progress, it’s something you have to improve and do he acknowledges. “You have to be able to defend against players you have never defended against. »
He thus prepared all summer, working with his teammates Nathan Knight and Jaden McDaniels. The three have escaped the big cleaning of the summer, and they came out of this off-season more united.
“I made a lot of connections with these guys. “says Naz Reid. “We’ve done a lot on and off the pitch and I feel like we’re really determined. If I defend Jaden and Nate, it’s like defending on a 4 position. I’m preparing for the season, to be ready for the season. Iron sharpens iron. »
| Naz Reid | Percentage | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Crew | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | party | Int | bp | CT | Points |
| 2019-20 | MIN | 30 | 17 | 41.2 | 33.0 | 69.8 | 1.1 | 3.0 | 4.1 | 1.2 | 2.8 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 9.0 |
| 2020-21 | MIN | 70 | 19 | 52.3 | 35.1 | 69.3 | 1.2 | 3.4 | 4.6 | 1.0 | 2.6 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 11.2 |
| 2021-22 | MIN | 77 | 16 | 48.9 | 34.3 | 76.5 | 1.3 | 2.6 | 3.9 | 0.9 | 2.2 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 0.9 | 8.3 |
| Total | 177 | 17 | 49.0 | 34.3 | 72.3 | 1.2 | 3.0 | 4.2 | 1.0 | 2.5 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 9.6 | |
