Naz Reid '100%' Sees Himself as Starter Ahead of T-Wolves Contract Option Decision
Veteran center Naz Reid says he is not ruling out returning to the Minnesota Timberwolves in a bench role next season despite the fact that he "100 percent" considers himself a starter.
"Yes, 100 percent. 100 percent," Reid told reporters when asked if he saw himself as a starter in the NBA (h/t Timberwolves reporter Dane Moore). "But sometimes, if you want to be in a winning position, sometimes you might have to sacrifice.
"I definitely view myself as a starter, but things change. You never know what's ahead of you."
Reid has until June 30 to make a decision regarding his $15 million player option with the Wolves next season, per Spotrac.
Reid followed up last season's Sixth Man of the Year award by averaging career highs with 14.2 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists through 80 regular-season games with the Wolves.
He followed that up by averaging 10.4 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists while playing 25 minutes per game off the bench in 15 playoff appearances before the Timberwolves were eliminated from a second straight Western Conference Finals.
Like Anthony Edwards, who said after Wednesday's Game 5 elimination loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder that the Wolves would "try to do it again next year," Reid expressed confidence in Minnesota making it past the third round next season.
"You wanna obviously make the best decisions for yourself, but you wanna be in that same situation, a winning situation," Reid told reporters.
Reid continued: "We didn't finish how we wanted to, but like I said before, we're in a winning situation. We've got a lot of guys who come in and compete, including myself."
The Timberwolves will have three key players potentially hitting free agency this summer. Julius Randle holds a $30.9 million player option for next season, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker is set to hit free agency after playing this season on an expiring contract.
If the Wolves decide to extend Reid, the team could either offer him a four-year, $87.2 million deal that would replace his 2025-26 player option or have him opt in and sign a four-year, $94.2 million extension starting in 2026-27, per ESPN's Bobby Marks.
If Reid chooses to walk in free agency, only the Brooklyn Nets would be able to offer him more than the mid-level exception of $14.1 million, Marks noted. That could mean a sign-and-trade would be the more likely option should Reid and the Wolves decide to part ways this offseason.
Between other potential free agents, the salary tied up in Anthony Edwards, Rudy Gobert and Jaden McDaniels, and Reid's desire to play as a starter, it sounds like there's still a chance the Wolves' sixth man plays elsewhere next fall.
