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Etienne Catalan: Naz Reid will wear No. 0 for the #Hornets. Number last worn by Miles Bridges in 2026. #NBA
Jeff mentioned several times that Naz is somebody he targeted and previously knew about. What are your thoughts on Naz and how will he help this team? Charles Lee: Yeah, big-time get with Naz. I think that between the size, the physicality, the experience in the Western Conference Finals, and when you talk about you’re trying to put together a team that has talent and versatility — he adds to that. But I think also we’ve struggled in the past with the level of physicality that comes as you get deeper in the season and in on all those playoff runs. He’s been there, he’s done it, he played a big part. So, I think that he’s going to be able to bring leadership from the perspective of by example, but also vocally. He can talk to the guys because he’s been in some of those pressure-packed, high-level situations and he succeeded. To be an undrafted player and then win the Sixth Man of the Year, be in the rotation, a key reserve on a Western Conference Finals team, is really impressive.
Is the acquisition of Naz Reid an underrated move in this trade? Jeff Peterson: Completely agree. He’s someone I’ve always appreciated. He’s one of my favorite stories in the NBA. Go undrafted. He’s finished top five in [NBA] Sixth Man of the Year running three years, and he won it a couple years ago. He’s been in the Western Conference finals a couple times. He’s a guy who has changed his body, has changed his habits, his approach. So, I like to bet on guys like that. Chip on the shoulder, got it out the mud, found a way to have success. So, I could not be more thrilled to have him with us. And I know he’s going to make us better.
Calling it "probably the most difficult" decision he has had to make, Jeff Peterson said the LaMelo Ball trade was done with the goal of building sustained success for the Charlotte Hornets to contend for a title down the road. The Hornets' president of basketball operations met with the media Saturday to explain the surprising decision to trade one of the franchise's most popular players after the trade became official. The Hornets sent Ball and Josh Green to Minnesota for Naz Reid, a 2033 unprotected first-round pick, three second-round picks and three first-round pick swaps. The deal was part of a four-team deal that included Brooklyn and Chicago.
"These decisions are challenging at times, but when you look at the totality of the season and everything of where we were, it's important to take an honest look in the mirror of where you guys are as a team," Peterson said at the news conference at the Las Vegas summer league. "And that's what I had to do at the end of the season. And it just felt like the goal is never to compete for a play-in spot. The goal isn't to get to the play-in or even the playoffs for one year. "I've said it plenty of times since I've been here in Charlotte: The goal is to get to the playoffs and stay there for a long time. And eventually contend to compete for championships. Getting Naz Reid when you can get a player of his caliber. And of course, the draft capital and the flexibility just felt like it was something that was able to achieve multiple goals in one transaction."
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Brett Siegel: Trade details: Hornets: Naz Reid, Mouhamadou Gueye, MIN 2033 1st (unprotected), MIN 2028, 2029, 2030 1st SWAPS, MIN 2029, 2032, 2033 2nds Nets: Julius Randle, Joshua Jefferson (Pick No. 28) Timberwolves: LaMelo Ball, Josh Green, Isaiah Evans (Pick No. 33) Bulls: Nic Claxton
As the market has developed, sources say Rui Hachimura's representation has now been in contact with Minnesota and Golden State as well. The Timberwolves have a well-chronicled need for a power forward after committing to trade away Randle and Naz Reid so they can pair LaMelo Ball with Anthony Edwards and Hachimura is said to stand as their current top choice at the position.
JC Stroebel and Jesse George started this whole thing on a whim. The Timberwolves were surging during the 2023-24 season, and Stroebel just threw out a post on social media offering to tattoo “Naz Reid.” on any who wanted one for $20. He had no idea what was coming. Wolves fans responded in overwhelming fashion. Stroebel and George estimate they’ve done between, at least, 1,200 to 1,500 “Naz Reid.” tattoos. What started as a lark with the hope of landing tickets to a playoff game became a full-blown movement. George and Stroebel did them at live recordings of Timberwolves podcasts. They did them to help raise funds for a super fan who needed brain surgery. They even got to meet Reid in person.
Reid once again was brought up in talks for Brown after joining the Hornets, HoopsHype has learned. Charlotte has also gauged the trade market value of forward Miles Bridges, who’s on an expiring $22.83 million deal. His salary would be needed to make any Brown trade work with Charlotte. With that said, exploratory talks with the Hornets have cooled.
The Timberwolves explored multiple avenues to add another star next to Edwards in the days leading up to landing Ball. There were discussions with the Chicago Bulls about Josh Giddey. They had talks with the Boston Celtics about Jaylen Brown, a team source said, but the Celtics were looking for a package including Gobert, Reid and similar pick compensation that went to Charlotte for Ball, team sources said. That was just too much for the Wolves to pay for a soon-to-be 30-year-old forward who, while being a better overall player than Ball, wasn’t as clean a fit next to Edwards.
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Lore and Rodriguez looked at the offer — former Sixth Man of the Year and Timberwolves cult hero Naz Reid, an unprotected first-round pick in 2033 and three first-round pick swaps (2028, 2029, 2030) and three second-round picks (2029, 2032, 2033) to Charlotte for Ball and swingman Josh Green — and immediately gave the green light, team sources said.
Just a few days earlier, Reid was preparing to become the full-time starter at power forward for the first time in his career when the Timberwolves traded Randle to Brooklyn. But the Hornets insisted on Reid being in the trade, sources said.
According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the Hornets plan to keep Reid on their roster despite already receiving trade inquiries for the versatile big man. "They already got some trade calls in on [Naz Reid], but the plan is right now to keep him. This is a team that could still shift the roster around a little bit if they want," Charania reported on ESPN's SportsCenter.
Yossi Gozlan: Charlotte Hornets salary cap situation after trading LaMelo Ball and Josh Green for Naz Reid and picks. $75 million in room below the luxury tax line. Enough room to re-sign Coby White, use the entirety of their $40.8 million trade exception, and $15 million mid-level.
