Nate Duncan suggests Wolves trade Naz Reid for Tyus Jones
The Wolves are certainly in the guard market as Thursday's trade deadline creeps closer. Should the need for a backup to Mike Conley come at the expense of fan favorite Naz Reid?
That's what NBA salary cap expert Nate Duncan argued on his latest Dunc'd on Basketball Podcast.
"I think they should think about trading him because to me Naz Reid is never going to start for them," Duncan said Tuesday. "They have this massive hole going forward - not only at backup point guard this year but also at starting guard next year - and if they could move him and get reinforcements at guard I would seriously consider it.
Mike Conley has been a great veteran leader for the Wolves over the past season-and-a-half, but at 36-years-old Minnesota are in need of a long-term future at the point guard position. This season Conley has seen his minutes (29.0-per-game) dip to the third lowest of his career. The veteran guard is out of contract at the end of the year and considering he would be 37 before next season started, it's not out of the question this could be his final run.
"Considering his moveable salary would be considered positive salary by a lot of teams, I would very seriously consider moving him," continued Duncan. "If I could trade him for Tyus Jones, with the understanding that Tyus Jones would consider re-signing, I would do that for sure. I'm not sure that's the sort of return Washington is looking for, maybe that becomes a three-way trade."
Jones is one of the many guards the Wolves have been linked with as the deadline has drawn closer. According to the Action Network's Matt Moore, Washington recently rejected a trade proposal from the Wolves for Jones. Jones, 27, started his career in Minnesota after a draft night trade. The Apple Valley native played four seasons for his hometown Wolves before moving on via free agency.
"It's tough because [Naz] is a fan favorite," continued Duncan. "He is a guy that they developed basically out of nowhere but I do think there is also the risk he's not going to play that well in the playoffs. And you got two centers that are going to play, hopefully, 38 minutes a game in the playoffs already."
Reid went undrafted coming out of LSU in 2019, signing with the Wolves on a two-way contract. The 24-year-old big man has developed into a key part of the Wolves squad, though as a sixth-man. Reid is averaging 12.3 points and 4.6 rebounds in 50 games this season for Minnesota, all off the bench.
Reid is on the first year of a three-year, $42 million dollar deal he signed in the offseason. Jones is a free agent at the end of the season, earning $14 million this season. The contract figures are in the range where a straight swap would work but as Duncan pointed out, that may not be what Washington are looking for in exchange.
The Wizards are floundering at the bottom of the Eastern Conference this season with a 9-40 record. Washington have been reportedly looking for picks in order to kick start their rebuild. But at 24-years-old Reid could be seen as a solid building block for a developing team.
"The reason, to me, that you would keep Naz Reid is if you believed that you could start him at center, either in case of a long term Towns injury or you trade Karl-Anthony Towns," co-host Danny Leroux said. "I don't think, if the goal is to be as competitive as the Wolves have been, I don't think that's plausible. I don't think he's a good enough player on both ends of the floor."
Feb 4, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves center Naz Reid (11) drives to the basket against Houston Rockets guard Cam Whitmore (7) in the fourth quarter at Target Center.
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