Letting NAZ Walk...

[Q-is-here]

Philosophically losing Naz would really hurt. He is our only true development story. I am not sure what team would be the perfect fit for him, I guess the Lakers with Luka?

He plays the same position as LeBron.

[Q-is-here]

Getting back to Dr. Seuss...

My favorite for "Thing 1" if Rasheer Fleming. The guy has the tools to play both PF and C. His strength is rim protection and rebounding, a great compliment to either NAZ or Randle. He even comes with a 3-point shot!

The downside is he played at St. Joes, thus didn't have the greatest competition. And he is a 3-year player, thus doesn't have the same upside as many of these 19-year-olds. But if his skills translate to the NBA, he seems like a helpful compliment to our big man rotation. Interesting decision for TC as to what he is looking for at #17.

I'm not sure we keep #17. I do think we keep the 2nd round pick.

[Q-is-here]

Here are the bigs the "final four" teams have utilized as part of their core rotation, meaning they play every game and not just spot minutes:

OKC - Hartenstein and Holmgren

MN - Rudy, Randle, and Naz

Ind - Turner, Siakam, and Toppin

NYK - KAT and Robinson

My issue is how much of our cap space should be allocated to those three bigs, which ultimately proved to be flawed when we got to OKC?

Bottom line is I absolutely do not want to start next season with $90+ million tied up in three bigs. May be we retain one of Naz or Randle (I'd prefer Naz) and then go and get a cheaper backup Center, of which there will be multiple available. Whatever functionality we lose in Naz (shooting) or Randle (scoring and play making) needs to be transferred to perimeter guard and wing players like Shannon, Dillingham, and/or a more prominent name we trade for.

Pretty strongly agree here.

You need to replace one skill set with someone from a different position group.

Naz may not be the better player but he loosen up the floor and position logjam a lot. Julius makes it really difficult to move Jaden to PF more often

OKC not even playing Holmgren and Hartenstein together! It's basically one big and a bunch of guards and wings on the floor for OKC.

Unfortunately Naz can't play big (at least on defense) so we could never pull off what OKC is doing if Naz is one of our bigs. Both Holmgren and Hartenstein can offer some paint protection.

[Lipoli390]

Here are the bigs the "final four" teams have utilized as part of their core rotation, meaning they play every game and not just spot minutes:

OKC - Hartenstein and Holmgren

MN - Rudy, Randle, and Naz

Ind - Turner, Siakam, and Toppin

NYK - KAT and Robinson

My issue is how much of our cap space should be allocated to those three bigs, which ultimately proved to be flawed when we got to OKC?

Bottom line is I absolutely do not want to start next season with $90+ million tied up in three bigs. May be we retain one of Naz or Randle (I'd prefer Naz) and then go and get a cheaper backup Center, of which there will be multiple available. Whatever functionality we lose in Naz (shooting) or Randle (scoring and play making) needs to be transferred to perimeter guard and wing players like Shannon, Dillingham, and/or a more prominent name we trade for.

Pretty strongly agree here.

You need to replace one skill set with someone from a different position group.

Naz may not be the better player but he loosen up the floor and position logjam a lot. Julius makes it really difficult to move Jaden to PF more often

OKC not even playing Holmgren and Hartenstein together! It's basically one big and a bunch of guards and wings on the floor for OKC.

Unfortunately Naz can't play big (at least on defense) so we could never pull off what OKC is doing if Naz is one of our bigs. Both Holmgren and Hartenstein can offer some paint protection.

Yes, but Naz plays a lot like a wing. When I watch him play, how nimble and quick he is with a very nice handle an 38% three-point accuracy I see more of a wing than a big. So I think he’d fit well as one of a bunch of wing/guard types around Rudy. The key of course is Rudy. While I’ll never come around to liking the Rudy trade, I can’t see letting him go. The stats are compelling. He has his flaws as do all players, but what he does for the Wolves defensively is essential and having him along with Jaden and Ant allows guys like Naz and eventually Dilly to be effective in spite of their defensive limitations. And as the stats tell us, Naz Reid’s defense isn’t as bad as the on-line rhetoric suggests. That’s why I’d like to see us move on from Randle, hand the starting PF position to Naz and draft Thomas Sorber wt #17 (or move up a big to get him).

[Q-is-here]

Pretty strongly agree here.

You need to replace one skill set with someone from a different position group.

Naz may not be the better player but he loosen up the floor and position logjam a lot. Julius makes it really difficult to move Jaden to PF more often

OKC not even playing Holmgren and Hartenstein together! It's basically one big and a bunch of guards and wings on the floor for OKC.

Unfortunately Naz can't play big (at least on defense) so we could never pull off what OKC is doing if Naz is one of our bigs. Both Holmgren and Hartenstein can offer some paint protection.

Yes, but Naz plays a lot like a wing. When I watch him play, how nimble and quick he is with a very nice handle an 38% three-point accuracy I see more of a wing than a big. So I think he’d fit well as one of a bunch of wing/guard types around Rudy. The key of course is Rudy. While I’ll never come around to liking the Rudy trade, I can’t see letting him go. The stats are compelling. He has his flaws as do all players, but what he does for the Wolves defensively is essential and having him along with Jaden and Ant allows guys like Naz and eventually Dilly to be effective in spite of their defensive limitations. And as the stats tell us, Naz Reid’s defense isn’t as bad as the on-line rhetoric suggests. That’s why I’d like to see us move on from Randle, hand the starting PF position to Naz and draft Thomas Sorber wt #17 (or move up a big to get him).

Sorber would be great, but Finch likely wouldn't play him if we make another playoff run, as I'm sure the Wolves hope to do again next season. He'd likely get the Dillingham, Clark or Shannon treatment and be on just the bare edge of the rotation. Connelly would likely pick up a vet backup Center via free agency to back up Rudy, of which there are numerous decent candidates.

The bottom line is that you can't have Naz as one of your two main bigs since he's just too much of a liability defensively without Rudy holding his hand.

[Lipoli390]

OKC not even playing Holmgren and Hartenstein together! It's basically one big and a bunch of guards and wings on the floor for OKC.

Unfortunately Naz can't play big (at least on defense) so we could never pull off what OKC is doing if Naz is one of our bigs. Both Holmgren and Hartenstein can offer some paint protection.

Yes, but Naz plays a lot like a wing. When I watch him play, how nimble and quick he is with a very nice handle an 38% three-point accuracy I see more of a wing than a big. So I think he’d fit well as one of a bunch of wing/guard types around Rudy. The key of course is Rudy. While I’ll never come around to liking the Rudy trade, I can’t see letting him go. The stats are compelling. He has his flaws as do all players, but what he does for the Wolves defensively is essential and having him along with Jaden and Ant allows guys like Naz and eventually Dilly to be effective in spite of their defensive limitations. And as the stats tell us, Naz Reid’s defense isn’t as bad as the on-line rhetoric suggests. That’s why I’d like to see us move on from Randle, hand the starting PF position to Naz and draft Thomas Sorber wt #17 (or move up a big to get him).

Sorber would be great, but Finch likely wouldn't play him if we make another playoff run, as I'm sure the Wolves hope to do again next season. He'd likely get the Dillingham, Clark or Shannon treatment and be on just the bare edge of the rotation. Connelly would likely pick up a vet backup Center via free agency to back up Rudy, of which there are numerous decent candidates.

The bottom line is that you can't have Naz as one of your two main bigs since he's just too much of a liability defensively without Rudy holding his hand.

I think you’re right about Finch and I don’t disagree with you on Naz. He should never be out there as our center paired with another mediocre defender at the PF position. He needs Gobert just as Randle does and as KAT did when he was here. So yes, an essential part of letting Randle go (or trading him) is adding a solid defensive big for those times when Rudy isn’t playing and perhaps in some situations when Rudy’s on the court. I can see Sorber fitting that role but probably not soon enough for Finch. .

[kekgeek]

Obi Toppin made more 3s in one game than Naz did the whole series against the Thunder. Let that sink in.

Hard to pay a guy who is too small for the 5 and too slow for the 3. In a era of position flexibility hard for me to pay a guy who is only positive in one context (albeit he is very good in that context)

[kekgeek]

Naz Reid playoff Net rating without Rudy

2025: -1.6. Defensive rating 117.1 (29th percentile)

2024: -13.2 (10th percentile), Def rating: 119.9 (19th percentile)

2023: DNP

2022: -4.7 Offensive rating 98.0 (5th)

Why are we paying a guy who can only succeed in such a narrow context. And his production plummets in the playoffs.

If he opts in fine, but a bad contract is a wolves killer.

[Q-is-here]

Naz Reid playoff Net rating without Rudy

2025: -1.6. Defensive rating 117.1 (29th percentile)

2024: -13.2 (10th percentile), Def rating: 119.9 (19th percentile)

2023: DNP

2022: -4.7 Offensive rating 98.0 (5th)

Why are we paying a guy who can only succeed in such a narrow context. And his production plummets in the playoffs.

If he opts in fine, but a bad contract is a wolves killer.

Keep it up Kek! I've been on the fence with Naz for literally years now and go back and forth and back and forth again on what his value is to the franchise. At times, I'm in the "he's a cheaper version of KAT!" camp and then you chime in and I'm in the "we can't be rid of him soon enough!" camp, LOL.

Obviously Naz is probably the greatest developmental success story in franchise history. Doper mentioned something to the effect of throwing that all away if he were to go. But I disagree with that. We got a great return on that investment where he was part of the core rotation for multiple winning seasons and successful playoff series. It's not like he just finally broke into the rotation this year.

One of the biggest stories of these last two post-seasons is the way our bench let us down. We know that the starting lineup, including Ant, has its flaws and so the expectation is that our strong (regular season) bench would help shore things up. But it did the opposite of that and Naz unfortunately was part of it in both years.

[FNG]

Naz Reid playoff Net rating without Rudy

2025: -1.6. Defensive rating 117.1 (29th percentile)

2024: -13.2 (10th percentile), Def rating: 119.9 (19th percentile)

2023: DNP

2022: -4.7 Offensive rating 98.0 (5th)

Why are we paying a guy who can only succeed in such a narrow context. And his production plummets in the playoffs.

If he opts in fine, but a bad contract is a wolves killer.

Keep it up Kek! I've been on the fence with Naz for literally years now and go back and forth and back and forth again on what his value is to the franchise. At times, I'm in the "he's a cheaper version of KAT!" camp and then you chime in and I'm in the "we can't be rid of him soon enough!" camp, LOL.

Obviously Naz is probably the greatest developmental success story in franchise history. Doper mentioned something to the effect of throwing that all away if he were to go. But I disagree with that. We got a great return on that investment where he was part of the core rotation for multiple winning seasons and successful playoff series. It's not like he just finally broke into the rotation this year.

One of the biggest stories of these last two post-seasons is the way our bench let us down. We know that the starting lineup, including Ant, has its flaws and so the expectation is that our strong (regular season) bench would help shore things up. But it did the opposite of that and Naz unfortunately was part of it in both years.

Ouch, now we know that two members of our highly-valued bench are not helping us in the playoffs...Donte and Naz. I hope we keep him, but only at a price tag that a non-starter deserves. We'll find out soon enough.