Mavs, Spurs Interested In Naz Reid Before New Contract

The Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs were interested in Naz Reid before the center signed an extension with the Minnesota Timberwolves, according to NBA insider Marc Stein.

Reid agreed to a three-year, $42 million extension with the Timberwolves. The LSU product would have become an unrestricted free agent on June 30 if he and Minnesota didn’t agree to an extension.

“Reid was expected to generate no shortage of interest in free agency from teams possessing the full non-taxpayer midlevel exception of $12.4 million — I’m told Dallas was among them — and possibly more from teams with salary cap space,” Stein wrote.

“The Spurs, league sources say, are another Texas team that would have had interest in Reid had he made it to free agency,” Stein explained.

Reid averaged 11.5 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists this past season for the Timberwolves while shooting 53.7% from the field, 34.6% from beyond the arc and 67.7% from the free-throw line. He suffered a left wrist injury on March 29 against the Phoenix Suns and underwent season-ending surgery.

Without Reid, the Timberwolves lost to the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the 2023 playoffs in five games. Reid has career averages of 10.1 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.0 assists. The Los Angeles Lakers were also going to pursue the New Jersey native had he not agreed to an extension with the Timberwolves, sources told NBA Analysis Network.

Stein wrote in his column that the Timberwolves could trade Karl-Anthony Towns or Rudy Gobert after signing Reid to an extension since it makes zero sense to have three centers on one roster. Minnesota won 42 games in 2022-23.