Extended for $42 million over three years by the Wolves this summer, which is what he hoped for, Naz Reid played his role as replacement pivot wonderfully last season. He brought his energy and his points coming off the bench. He was thus a reliable option to blow Rudy Gobert.
Because as soon as it came to associating him with the Frenchman, or with Karl-Anthony Tows, in a strong winger role, it was more delicate. Chris Finch rarely used this option (16% of his minutes last season) and the interior was not always comfortable in this position.
Where Naz Reid shone with his mobility at post 5, as soon as he was shifted, he lacked sharpness and became static. “He was not involved in the actions, in the movement, as he does as a pivot”remarks his coach for The Athletic. “The difference is that I don’t want to do anything stupid”the player justifies himself.
“I haven’t been completely comfortable doing it in recent years. I did it occasionally, not on a regular basis”
However, we will have to be violent because the Minnesota coach wants to use him more, or even mainly, in this strong winger position for this 2023/24 financial year.
He did it at the end of last season, for a few matches after Karl-Anthony Towns returned from injury, but Naz Reid quickly injured his wrist. Over these four matches, the latter averaged 20.5 points. A sample that allows the coach to imagine a successful transplant.
“Just before his injury, he found the rhythm at post 4, he understood what it could look like,” believes Chris Finch. “He has to be better defensively and we have to help him with that, with defensive coverages. I think last season when Towns came back he had the solution figured out and now he seems even more comfortable with the role. »
Is this really the case? “It’s about being comfortable, being able to defend on players like Kevin Durant or power forwards who get wide,” he confirms. “I haven’t been completely comfortable doing it in recent years. I did it on an ad hoc basis, not on a regular basis. »
One of the keys to this change is perhaps his association with Rudy Gobert, whose play near the circle leaves him spaces to work on the periphery.
“You have to know how to play next to players like Gobert or Towns,” he concludes. “They have their preferences too so it’s about playing with them, understanding their game.”
| Naz Reid | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 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 |
| 2022-23 | MIN | 68 | 18 | 53.7 | 34.6 | 67.7 | 1.1 | 3.8 | 4.9 | 1.1 | 2.6 | 0.6 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 11.5 |
| Total | 245 | 18 | 50.5 | 34.4 | 71.1 | 1.2 | 3.2 | 4.4 | 1.0 | 2.5 | 0.6 | 1.1 | 0.9 | 10.1 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
