Camden wrote:** Naz Reid Appreciation Post **
17 G (9 GS)
22.1 MPG
12.1 PPG (19.6 PPG PER36)
53.2 FG% (4.4 - 8.3 FG)
38.8 3P% (1.1 - 2.9 3P)
76.6 FT% (2.1 - 2.8 FT)
.634 TS%
4.8 RPG (7.8 RPG PER36)
1.2 APG (2.0 APG PER36)
1.6 BPG (2.6 BPG PER36)
Reid has gone from a highly-touted high school recruit to an overweight-yet-talented, defensive liability as an NBA prospect to an undoubtedly good undrafted free agent signing who has already shown signs of improvement where needed most -- his body and his defense. He made it clear last season that he could replace Gorgui Dieng as the backup center at a much cheaper cost and he's done exactly that. He's also been serviceable as a starter in Karl-Anthony Town's' absence -- though we obviously still miss KAT dearly.
For a 21-year old making the minimum this season AND the next several years, he might be Minnesota's best value player on the roster with Jordan McLaughlin and Jarred Vanderbilt as alternative choices.
We need to give Rosas some credit for how he did at the "bottom" of our roster while deservedly lambasting him for what he's done in the middle and near the top. The reason I use quotes is because it's hard most nights for me to differentiate between our cheap picks and signings and the guys we're paying $7M or more to.
This group includes all my favorite former G-League players: Naz Reid (Undrafted FA); Jarred Vanderbilt (trade); Jordan McLaughlin (2-way); and Jaylen Nowell (2nd round pick).
Seriously, you could argue that three out of four of those guys are currently our best healthy players at each of their respective positions, with Nowell potentially being just a notch or two below Beasley.
Where our roster is absolutely killing us are the upper middle class and middle class paid guys: Rubio, Juancho, Layman, Okogie, Culver, and Edwards.