Naz Reid wins 2023-24 NBA Sixth Man of the Year award

Minnesota Timberwolves center-forward Naz Reid is the recipient of the John Havlicek Trophy as the 2023-24 NBA Sixth Man of the Year.

Reid has been named the NBA’s top reserve for the first time and becomes the first player to win the award with the Timberwolves. He is also the third player to earn the honor after not being selected in the NBA Draft, joining John Starks (1996-97) and Darrell Armstrong (1998-99).

In his fifth NBA season, Reid averaged career highs of 13.5 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 24.2 minutes in 81 games (14 starts). He made 169 three-pointers, exceeding his total from the previous two seasons combined (132). Reid also shot a career-high 41.4% from three-point range.

Reid helped the Timberwolves (56-26) finish with the second-best record in franchise history.

Timberwolves sign Naz Reid to contract extension

The Minnesota Timberwolves yesterday signed center Naz Reid to a contract extension.

Reid, 23, wrapped up his fourth season in the NBA, all with the Timberwolves, seeing action in 68 games (11 starts), averaging a career-high 11.5 points on a career-best 53.7% shooting, a career-high 4.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 18.4 minutes per game.

Per the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, “Reid was viewed as a linchpin for this team by even the major stakeholders. Which is what made re-signing the free agent this offseason so pivotal for the franchise’s future. Minnesota got that done Sunday, as a source confirmed the Wolves and Reid agreed to a three-year, $42 million deal that features a player option in the third year.”

The Louisiana State product saw his best season of his NBA career during the 2022-23 season, which included tallying a career-high-tying four double-doubles, a career-best eight 20+ point games and a career-high-tying four 10+ rebound performances. In 20:46 minutes of action off the bench during Minnesota’s 99-96 win on Mar. 26 against the Warriors, Reid led the Wolves in scoring, finishing with 23 points on 10-of-17 shooting, including 3-of-5 from deep. On Feb. 26 at Golden State, Reid led the way for the Wolves, scoring a career-high 30 points on a career-best-tying 12-of-22 shooting, including 4-of-11 from deep and nine rebounds. He added a career-high five steals and two blocks, becoming the first player in Timberwolves history to finish a game with 30+ points/9+ rebounds/2+ blocks/5+ steals.

For his career, the 6-9 center has appeared in 245 regular season games (43 starts), averaging 10.1 points on 50.5% shooting, 4.4 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game. Reid has seen action in five career playoff games and has averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game.

The Asbury Park, N.J. native was originally signed by the Wolves on July 17, 2019.