Minnesota Timberwolves big man Naz Reid is expected to opt out of his contract this summer and enter free agency, and he should garner plenty of interest from contending teams. Maybe even the Miami Heat.
"Reid, who is the league's reigning Sixth Man of the Year for a few more months, possesses a $15 million player option for 2025-26 that many of those same strategists expect he'll decline in search of a richer arrangement in the summer," NBA insider Jake Fischer reported on The Stein Line Substack.
When Reid signed a three-year contract extension with the Wolves in June 2023, the Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs were among the teams that had registered interest in the event that Reid made it to free agency. More teams will be interested in signing Reid this summer.
Even as it seems that Reid plans to become a free agent this summer, Fischer added that the Timberwolves remain the favorite to resign their valuable big man. Reid is averaging 14.9 points on 47.7% shooting (40% on 3s), 5.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 58 games this season.
The Timberwolves traded away franchise player Karl-Anthony Towns last summer in order to create the flexibility needed to re-sign Reid and potentially 3-and-D wing Nickeil Alexander-Walker.
Despite trading Towns, Minnesota is still in a cap crunch. Bringing back both Reid and Alexander-Walker could be difficult, especially if Julius Randle opts into his $31 million player option for next season.
So, how do the Heat factor into all of this?
If the Heat are seeking an immediate contributor, Reid would be an intriguing fit.
Yes, they already have Bam Adebayo and Kel’el Ware as the frontcourt of the future, but Reid would step in as a third big capable of playing with either one in different lineups, just as he had in Minnesota alongside Towns and Rudy Gobert.
It’s a job currently held by Nikola Jovic, but the third-year forward has been somewhat inconsistent and is sidelined for an extended period with a fractured right hand. He’s also up for an extension this summer, and if the Heat decide they want to upgrade that spot, Reid will be the best available.
Adding Reid would be complicated. The Heat don’t have enough cap space to offer Reid a raise. The tax-payer mid-level exception, worth an estimated $14 million, wouldn’t be enough, either.
The only option would be via a sign-and-trade. Doing so would cap the Heat at the first apron. The Heat are just shy of $15 million away from the first apron – before factoring in potential first-round picks – but could increase their room by letting Davion Mitchell leave as a restricted free agent and/or waiving Duncan Robinson, whose $19.9 million contract is guaranteed for $9.9 million.
Could Miami appeal to Reid if the Heat were to offer a multi-year contract to the tune of $20 million per year? Will he require a starting job, moving Ware back to the bench?
And, if adding Reid is Miami’s only major offseason move, does that signify enough of an improvement to warrant jumping through hoops, capping the team at the first apron and parting ways with other valuable contributors?
For now, adding Reid is a longshot. He’s a very good player who would be an instant fit on the Heat, but there doesn’t seem to be a logical path to getting it done without other big moves happening first.