Naz Reid is headed into a new role with the Charlotte Hornets, but don’t expect the move to turn his stat line into something dramatically different from what Minnesota Timberwolves fans got used to.
After seven seasons with the Timberwolves, Reid was dealt to Charlotte this offseason, and the change gives him the first real chance of his career to open the season as a full-time starter. With Miles Bridges shipped to the Phoenix Suns, Reid appears set to begin the year as Charlotte’s starting power forward.
Still, the promotion may not come with a major bump in minutes. Reid has already been playing starter-level run in Minnesota even while coming off the bench.
Over the last three seasons, the 2023-24 Sixth Man of the Year averaged 25.9 minutes per game, including a career-high 27.5 in 2024-25. During that stretch, he put up 13.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, and just under one block per game.
Charlotte’s roster makeup also suggests Reid won’t suddenly become the focal point. The Hornets have multiple bigs in the mix, including centers Moussa Diabate, 2026 first-round pick Hannes Steinbach, and 2025 second-round pick Ryan Kalkbrenner. They also have Royce O’Neale, Grant Williams, and perhaps Dorian Finney-Smith as options who can log time at power forward.
Reid should share the floor with Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel, two young scorers who can regularly get to 20 points, while Coby White brings a more score-first approach at point guard. That could leave Reid as the fourth scoring option on some nights.
Even so, there’s plenty of appeal in seeing him start on a regular basis. For a stretch, it looked like that might happen in Minnesota after the team traded Julius Randle to the Brooklyn Nets, but Reid was soon moved to Charlotte as part of the deal that brought LaMelo Ball to the Wolves.
When the Hornets visit the Target Center on January 29, Minnesota fans should be ready to welcome him back loudly. He may get a little extra action that night, but over the long haul, his numbers should look a lot like they have in recent years.
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Kuminga would bring athleticism and upside, and the fit is easy enough to picture if he is willing to accept a minimum deal. Still, this is the kind of rumor that lives in the space between possibility and practicality, and for now Minnesota is left weighing whether a talent swing like this is realistic or just another name worth monitoring as the market settles. [Read more 🡒]