The Feb. 9 NBA trade deadline is just over two weeks away and the rumors involving the Minnesota Timberwolves have expanded beyond point guard D’Angelo Russell to now include backup center Naz Reid.
According Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype, the Timberwolves have received interest in Reid from “various teams,” including the Los Angeles Clippers and Denver Nuggets.
Scotto’s speculation: “With the Timberwolves reportedly gauging the trade market on point guard D’Angelo Russell, could the Clippers entice Minnesota executive Tim Connelly with guard Terance Mann as part of a trade package, or the Nuggets with guard Bones Hyland, whom Connelly drafted in Denver?”
Reid is an unrestricted free agent after the season and with Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns taking the majority of the minutes (once Towns is healthy), there’s little room for Reid and a larger role in Minnesota.
He becomes even more expendable if Luka Garza is a part of the Timberwolves’ future. In January, Garza is averaging 7.5 points and 2.5 rebounds while shooting 43.8% from 3 in just over 10 minutes per game. Reid is averaging 9.8 points and 5.1 rebounds and shooting 23.1% from 3 in 18 minutes per game this month.
Reid has played a big role in keeping Minnesota afloat in the Western Conference playoff race while Towns has been out since Nov. 28 with a right calf strain, which we learned last week was more severe than the Timberwolves originally let on. There is still no timeline for Towns’ return.
Entering play Monday, the Timberwolves (24-24) are one game behind the Mavericks (25-23) for fifth place in the West, though they are just two games in front of 13th place Portland (21-25).
Related: Report: Wolves ‘exploring’ D’Lo trades, interested in Mike Conley Jr.
