Timberwolves might try 3-big lineup with Naz Reid, KAT and Rudy Gobert
What came from Wednesday's press conference about Naz Reid's new three-year contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves was a look into the future of Minnesota basketball. The 23-year-old big man was praised by the two franchise leaders sitting to his left and right, head coach Chris Finch and president of basketball operations Tim Connelly––and they pained a starry picture when talking about his potential.
"The best basketball is in front of him. I think he's just scratching the surface of who he's going to be as a player. He's one of the more unique players that I've been around. Probably as good a handle as any big man I've ever seen," said Connelly.
Let that soak in for a moment. The guy who scouted and drafted Nikola Jokic, who is arguably the most unstoppable offensive player in the game today, called Reid "one of the more unique players that I've been around." That's a huge statement.
Finch has so much faith in Reid that he, with a deadpan look on his face, suggested that playing Reid, Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert together at the same time is a realistic possibility. That's a borderline insane idea considering the league laughed at Minnesota for trying to pair Towns and Gobert with little success.
"Naz has such a versatile game and his skill opens up so much lineup flexibility with our team. Whether he backs up at the four or backs up at the five, heck we might even try to play all three together just because there's so much skill there," said Finch.
Can you imagine a lineup featuring Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, Ried, Towns and Gobert? It would be the tallest and longest lineup in the league––by far––and at first blush seems crazy until you consider the fact that all of them but Gobert have the ability to create their own shots. Is Finch is a basketball genius who is onto something or on the verge of making the Wolves the butt of more jokes?
"Everyone says the league is trending smaller, but when you have skilled big players, that's really where the league, I think, is headed. He's a classic example of what a modern big looks like," Finch continued.
Here's what Connelly said when asked if losing Reid in free agency would've haunted him.
"Yeah for sure. I think at 23 and his skill set, I don't think any of us know what his game's going to look like in a couple years from now. We think he's going to be an elite defender at several positions," said Connelly. "I think his game's ever-evolving and I think it's really exciting to be part of his evolution as a basketball player and certainly we'll be better for it."
The Wolves clearly see Reid as a big part of their 2023-24 season and beyond. How they see him fitting with Towns and Gobert this season won't be known until it plays out in front of the world, but Reid's versatility has opened doors for lineup combinations that no one could've seen coming.
