The Minnesota Timberwolves solved one problem when they moved Naz Reid in the LaMelo Ball deal, but they also opened up a pretty obvious hole behind Rudy Gobert. Right now, that backup center spot is leaning on 19-year-old Joan Beringer and 20-year-old Rocco Zikarsky, and neither one looks ready to replace what Reid brought to the table.
That’s why a trade for Jalen Smith makes a lot of sense.
The framework is simple: Minnesota gets Smith, while Chicago receives Donte DiVincenzo and a 2030 second-round pick via Memphis, protected 31-50. The money works too, with DiVincenzo making $12.5 million this season and Smith at $9.4 million.
That would trim a little more than $3.0 million off Minnesota’s books, which matters for a roster already carrying roughly $215.5 million in salary. Both contracts also expire next summer.
Smith wouldn’t be a Naz Reid clone, and nobody should pretend otherwise. Reid was one of the league’s best bench scorers, while Smith has never reached that level. But the fit is there in a way Minnesota could use.
Last season, Smith averaged 10.2 points and 6.7 rebounds in 20.7 minutes per game, while shooting 48.3% from the field and 37.3% from three on 4.2 attempts a night. He also chipped in 0.8 blocks per game. Stretch that production to per 36 minutes and you get 17.7 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks, which is strong backup-center output.
More importantly, it gives Minnesota a big who can actually space the floor.
That was a major part of what Reid gave the Wolves. He wasn’t just Gobert’s backup; he changed the way the offense could look whenever Gobert sat because he could play center without camping under the rim.
Smith can’t do everything Reid did, and he’s not the kind of player who’s going to casually pop off for 25 points, but he can offer some of that same lineup flexibility. He has played both power forward and center, so Chris Finch could use him next to Gobert in bigger lineups or slide him to the five when Minnesota wants more shooting.
That’s a much safer path than hoping Beringer or Zikarsky is ready for meaningful playoff minutes.
DiVincenzo’s injury makes him the easier piece to move. Before the torn right Achilles, he started all 82 games and averaged 12.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.8 assists while shooting 37.9% from three on nearly eight attempts per game.
He’s still the more established player in a vacuum, but his recovery timeline changes the calculation. He could miss most, if not all, of the 2026-27 season, and with his deal expiring next summer, Minnesota doesn’t have much reason to just sit on him and wait.
The Wolves also have enough guard and wing depth to absorb the loss. With Ball running alongside Anthony Edwards, Ayo Dosunmu making $22.4 million and expected to have a major role, and Terrence Shannon Jr., Jaylen Clark, and other younger perimeter players battling for minutes, Minnesota can handle moving on from DiVincenzo while his return remains unclear.
Chicago’s side is more about timing and asset management than anything else. Smith is on an expiring $9.4 million contract, there haven’t been real extension talks around him, and Nic Claxton is now ahead of him in the frontcourt. Zach Collins also returned with an extension, which makes Smith’s spot look even shakier.
If the Bulls aren’t planning to keep him, getting a second-round pick back is better than losing him for nothing. DiVincenzo would mainly be the salary piece, with some upside if he gets healthy later in the season.
Maybe he comes back and gives Chicago another shooter, maybe he doesn’t. Either way, the Bulls would be turning an expiring player they may not retain into a small asset.
Smith wouldn’t replace everything Reid gave Minnesota, but he doesn’t need to. The Wolves need a reliable backup center who can rebound, stretch the floor, and survive in different frontcourt looks. Smith checks those boxes well enough to matter, especially for a team trying to win now.
In Other News...
Chris Finch Now Faces A Wolves Challenge He Cant Ease Into
Chris Finch is already dealing with a different kind of depth chart problem as the Timberwolves move past Naz Reids departure, and the backup center spot suddenly looks like one of the more interesting development projects on the roster. Joan Beringer is expected to take on a bigger role, and Finch has framed that opportunity in the context of a young player still learning how to handle the demands that come with more minutes and more responsibility.
The challenge is bigger than just plugging in a reserve big, especially after Minnesota added LaMelo Ball and Jonathan Kuminga and began sorting out how those pieces change the way the group wants to play. Finch also pointed back to the strain of last season and the coaching changes around him, with Pablo Prigioni promoted to lead assistant, underscoring that the Wolves are not easing into this next phase so much as adjusting on the fly while a few key questions remain open. [Read more 🡒]
Ayo Dosunmu Faces A Crowded Race For Wolves Bench Spotlight
Minnesotas bench picture is already drawing attention ahead of the new season, with Ayo Dosunmu emerging as a name to watch in the Wolves rotation. The conversation has been sharpened by the departure of Naz Reid, which leaves a real opening for someone to settle in as the primary option coming off the bench and provide the kind of steady second-unit production Minnesota will need.
Dosunmu is hardly the only guard or wing in the broader Sixth Man of the Year mix, either. Dylan Harper, Ace Bailey, Reed Sheppard, Jrue Holiday and Ajay Mitchell are all expected to be part of a crowded race, and several of those roles still need to be defined before the season starts. For Minnesota, the main question is not just who can handle the bench spotlight, but who can separate himself in a field that looks deep and competitive from the start. [Read more 🡒]
Naz Reid Is Already Giving The Hornets A Needed New Edge
Naz Reid is settling into Charlotte with the kind of reputation that tends to follow a player long before he gets on the floor. After years of carving out a distinctive role with the Timberwolves, he arrives with a skill set and style that have already made people around the Hornets believe he can bring something different to the roster. The buzz is less about highlights right now and more about what Reid has meant in previous stops, where his blend of feel, versatility and production helped Minnesota in meaningful ways.
Sion James has already noticed how Reid fits in off the court, which matters for a Hornets team trying to build a tougher, more connected identity. Even before his first game in Charlotte, Reids presence has created a sense that the group has added a player who can raise the standard just by the way he carries himself and plays the game. The real question is how quickly that reputation turns into impact once the games start for real. [Read more 🡒]