Could the Timberwolves move on from Naz Reid? Why a CBA wrinkle makes the Sixth Man of the Year’s Minnesota future murky

The Minnesota Timberwolves spent all of last season living with a financial subplot to their otherwise brilliant season.

“What are they going to do next summer, when extensions kick in for Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels and Karl-Anthony Towns?”

As Towns is now setting screens for Jalen Brunson in New York, we all came to know the answer. The Wolves decided to opt for the path of financial flexibility, acquiring Julius Randle, who will enter next summer with a player option, and Donte DiVincenzo, one of the best contracts currently in the NBA.

You’d think that’d be the end of it. Guess again.

The Wolves are, once again, staring at a summer that could force major change, this time with a player who has captured the imagination of Wolves fans: Naz Reid.

The 6-foot-9 Reid has become a favorite, cemented by fans getting his name tattooed on their bodies and his name being used as an argument for just how good he is. It’s not uncommon to see signs in the crowd at Timberwolves games that simply read “Naz Reid,” an almost elegant simplicity grounded in the fact that his effective game has found a direct way into the hearts of Timberwolves supporters.

Reid, who won the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award last season, is a highly competent scorer who netted 13.5 points in just 24.6 minutes per game, while offering a legitimate floor-spacing component (41.4% on five 3-point attempts per game) in Minnesota’s run to the Western Conference finals.

Naz Reid, 25, has quite a valuable skill set. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

So, why would Minnesota possibly let a player like Reid go?

If it had any control of the situation, it wouldn’t. But unfortunately for the Timberwolves, they’re left stranded due to CBA regulations that limit veteran extensions to 140% of the last salaried year – a percentage Reid is extremely unlikely to agree to, considering a new extension would start at just $21 million based on his salary of $15 million next season, when he becomes extension eligible.

(The 140% veteran extension limit, for good measure, does allow for teams to choose the highest amount between 140% of the last salaried…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/could-the-timberwolves-move-on-from-naz-reid-why-a-cba-wrinkle-makes-the-sixth-man-of-the-years-minnesota-future-murky-154056525.html

Author : Yahoo Sports

Publish date : 2024-10-29 15:40:00

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.