Timberwolves' Naz Reid wins Sixth Man of the Year Award
Reid is the first Timberwolves player ever to garner the honor.
Two words: Naz Reid.
The Timberwolves big man was officially named the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year Wednesday night, becoming the first Timberwolves player to ever take home the honor. Reid was a finalist alongside the Sacramento Kings’ Malik Monk and the Milwaukee Bucks’ Bobby Portis Jr.
Reid played 81 games this season and averaged 13.5 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists for a Timberwolves team that went 56-26 and finished in third place in the Western Conference. Reid also started 14 games for the Wolves, the majority coming during an 18-game stretch when All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns was sidelined due to a meniscus injury.
Reid filled in admirably as the Timberwolves went 12-6 during Towns’ absence. Reid scored a career-high 34 points in the second game Towns missed, a 113-104 overtime loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on March 8 in Cleveland. Reid played 32 minutes off the bench and shot 10 for 18 from the field and 7 for 11 from 3-point range in that contest.
Reid is shooting 47.7% from the field this season and 41.4% from 3-point range. Reid has been a spark plug off the bench for the Timberwolves all year long, consistently providing a scoring boost when the Wolves have needed it most.
Reid is in his fifth season with the Timberwolves and is in the midst of the best year of his career. Reid signed a three-year, $42 million contract before the 2023-24 season.
Reid beat out the Bucks’ Portis, who averaged 13.8 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 82 games for Milwaukee, and the Kings’ Monk, who averaged 15.4 points, 5.1 assists and 2.9 rebounds, for the award. Monk was sidelined at the end of the season with a sprained MCL.
The Timberwolves will have a few more chances to take home some NBA end-of-season awards. Coach Chris Finch is a finalist for the Coach of the Year Award, which will be announced on April 28. And center Rudy Gobert is a finalist, and runaway favorite, for the Defensive Player of the Year Award. It would be Gobert’s fourth, which would tie him for the all-time record.
