Guest of the League
Like Mike
Offseason | NBA Week 26

Timberwolves C Naz Reid named Sixth Man of Year

Wed Apr 24 7:27pm ET
Field Level Media

Naz Reid entered the NBA as an undrafted free agent with no guarantee of a long pro career.

Now the fifth-year center is officially the best reserve in the NBA after being named Sixth Man of the Year on Wednesday evening.

Reid narrowly edged out Malik Monk of the Sacramento Kings to win the award. Reid received 45 first-place votes and 352 total points to Monk's 43 and 342, respectively.

Bobby Portis of the Milwaukee Bucks was third with 81 points, followed by Norman Powell (65) of the Los Angeles Clippers and Bogdan Bogdanovic (40) of the Atlanta Hawks.


Reid is the third undrafted player to win the John Havlicek Trophy. The others are John Starks (1996-97) of the New York Knicks and Darrell Armstrong (1998-99) of the Orlando Magic.

Reid, 24, established career highs of 13.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, 169 3-point baskets and 41.4 percent accuracy from 3-point range while helping Minnesota to a 56-26 record this season. The 169 treys are the most in NBA history for an undrafted center/power forward.

"I have to get a feel and direction for how the game is going," Reid told TNT of his approach before entering the game. "I kind of joke around with my teammates, but it's a feel that we want to keep the momentum going.

"We have to have the mentality to come back in the game or push the lead forward. So I think having the same mentality but also scanning the game and see what's going on."

Reid did start 14 games in March while star Karl-Anthony Towns was sidelined with a knee injury.

He is the first member of the Timberwolves to win the award.

"We couldn't be more proud of Naz for being named Sixth Man of the Year," Minnesota coach Chris Finch said in a news release. "His contributions to our team this year were a key reason for our team's success. His growth this season and attention to detail to improve his game in the offseason were a main factor in Naz becoming the best reserve man in the NBA."

Reid played college basketball at LSU.

Player Notes
Naz Reid Wed Apr 24 11:10pm

Minnesota Timberwolves forward/center Naz Reid was named the Sixth Man of the Year for the 2023-24 season on Wednesday. Reid, who signed a three-year, $42 million extension with the club last offseason, averaged a career-high 13.5 points and 5.2 rebounds while shooting 41.4% from deep in 81 appearances. Without question, he will play a vital role in Minnesota's rotation for years to come, and his fantasy stock will be significantly higher heading into the 2024-25 campaign after capturing the award.

Mitchell Robinson Wed Apr 24 10:50pm

New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (ankle) is questionable ahead of Thursday's postseason game against the 76ers. Robinson was two points shy of a double-double in Game 1. He also had four blocks in that one. However, things were different in Game 2, with the 26-year-old finishing with just one point and four boards. With that said, he could be limited even if he's cleared to suit up, meaning DFS managers may want to keep him out of their lineups. Instead, Isaiah Hartenstein, amassing 14 points, eight rebounds, and three blocks on Monday night, should be the preferred fantasy option.

Joel Embiid Wed Apr 24 10:40pm

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (knee) is questionable for Thursday's matchup with the Knicks. The 30-year-old reaggravated the injury to his surgically repaired left knee in Game 1, forcing him to exit the contest briefly before returning. But despite carrying a questionable designation ahead of Game 2, Embiid was on the floor and finished with 34 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists in 39 minutes of action. At any rate, he should be listed as probable, considering the Sixers hope to avoid going down three games in this series. However, if Embiid can't go, Paul Reed and Mo Bamba will split time in the middle.

Bam Adebayo Wed Apr 24 10:20pm

Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo logged a team-high 40 minutes in Wednesday's win over the Boston Celtics. He looked good in this one, finishing with a 21-point, 10-rebound double-double. The C's have had issues with Adebayo during this series, with the 26-year-old averaging 22.5 points and shooting 61.3% from the field. With that in mind, the C's will likely adjust heading into Game 3 on Saturday, so everyone on the Heat roster could be in for a long night.

Kristaps Porzingis Wed Apr 24 10:20pm

Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis had trouble getting anything going in Wednesday's loss to the Heat. The veteran scored just six points, the fewest of anyone in the starting lineup, going 1-for-9 from the field while missing all four tries from deep. Fortunately, he added eight boards, three steals, and two blocks, so his evening wasn't a total flop for DFS managers. With that in mind, Porzingis averaged 20.3 points against the Heat during the regular season, meaning he could easily turn things around on Saturday night.

Jayson Tatum Wed Apr 24 10:10pm

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum scored 28 points in Wednesday's matchup with the Heat. While Jaylen Brown had a game-high 33 points, Tatum still had a solid outing. His shooting numbers haven't been the best through the first two games of this series. However, he's made up for it in other statistical areas. Unfortunately, Tatum efforts weren't enough, with the Heat stealing a win. With the series tied at a game each, both teams will meet on Saturday night in Miami. The 26-year-old played well against the Heat during the regular season, and he should continue to see plenty of minutes, which is always ideal for DFS purposes.

Jaylen Brown Wed Apr 24 10:10pm

Boston Celtics guard/forward Jaylen Brown had a game-high 33 points in Wednesday's postseason meeting with Miami. He added eight rebounds, one steal, and one block. The 27-year-old had 17 points in Game 1, so his offensive outburst was appreciated by DFS managers. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough, as the Celtics would go on to lose this one on their home turf. With the series knotted at one game each, both clubs will meet on Saturday night in South Beach. Of course, Brown will be a coveted DFS Option, although he may have a tough time matching his production from Game 2.

Tyler Herro Wed Apr 24 9:50pm

Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro scored a team-high 24 points in Wednesday's shocking win over the Boston Celtics. He struggled in Game 1 of this series. However, the 24-year-old turned things around in Game 2, going 6-for-11 from deep and adding 14 assists. With Terry Rozier (neck) and Jimmy Butler (knee) out of commission, the offense will continue to run through Herro. Of course, the Celtics will make adjustments for Game 3 on Saturday, so the 2019 No. 13 overall pick could have difficulty remaining as productive as he was on Wednesday night.

Nicolas Claxton Wed Apr 24 7:10pm

Brooklyn Nets center Nicolas Claxton will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason, but if the team has its way, he won't be going anywhere soon. According to general manager Sean Marks, tying Claxton down will be the "No. 1 priority" for the team in the summer. Marks added that he hopes Claxton will be a Net for "a very long time." The comments came after Brooklyn's new head coach, Jordi Fernandez, said at his introductory press conference that he believes Claxton has the potential to win the Defensive Player of the Year Award. Claxton, the 31st pick of the 2019 draft, has just completed his fifth NBA season. He averaged 11.8 points with a career-high 9.9 rebounds and 2.1 blocks in 29.8 minutes.

Grayson Allen Wed Apr 24 6:50pm

Phoenix Suns guard/forward Grayson Allen (ankle) hasn't been ruled out for Game 3 against Minnesota on Friday. X-rays came back negative after Allen re-injured his right ankle in Tuesday's Game 2. He is considered day-to-day. "Got to see what the next two days look like," Allen said when asked about his chances of featuring in Game 3. Allen, who initially hurt his ankle in Game 1 last week, has had a rough time in the first-round series, averaging only 3.5 points on 20 percent shooting. Royce O'Neale and Eric Gordon will figure more heavily in the rotation if he can't play on Friday.

Nikola Jovic Wed Apr 24 6:50pm

Miami Heat forward Nikola Jovic (back) has been cleared to play in Wednesday's Game 2 against Boston. He was a late addition to the injury report with a back issue, but the team has upgraded him from probable to available. The 20-year-old logged 26 minutes in Game 1 and had 10 points and six rebounds with 3-for-9 shooting. However, he's been inconsistent all season, so it wouldn't be surprising if we see an anonymous performance from Jovic on Wednesday.

James Harden Wed Apr 24 9:30am

Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden had 22 points on 6-for-14 in a 96-93 loss to Dallas on Tuesday. After opening the series with a vintage performance and 28 points, Harden scored only three points in the first quarter without making any field goals, and the Clippers' offense struggled throughout the night. Harden finished with 6-for-14 shooting, including a 2-for-10 effort from deep, and tallied six rebounds with eight assists, one steal, and one block. The former MVP has plenty to think about ahead of Game 3, but at least the Clippers now have Kawhi Leonard back in the lineup to boost their chances in the series.

Luka Doncic Wed Apr 24 9:30am

Dallas Mavericks point guard Luka Doncic netted a game-high 32 points in Tuesday's 96-93 Game 2 victory over the Clippers. Doncic added six rebounds, nine assists, one steal, and one block to his tally, playing a whopping 45:43 in the contest. Both teams struggled to put points on the board, and it was no different with Doncic, who finished 5-for-14 with his three-point attempts and 11-for-26 overall from the floor. Kyrie Irving added 23 points as the Mavericks continued to rely heavily on their star duo. The pair have averaged over 55 points per game in the series, with Doncic posting 32.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 6.7 assists.

Damian Lillard Wed Apr 24 9:20am

Milwaukee Bucks point guard Damian Lillard continued to roll in Game 2 against the Pacers on Tuesday, but his big performance wasn't enough this time around for the team to get the win. Lillard led his squad in a 125-108 loss with 34 points on 10-for-21 shooting. Most of his makes came from downtown, as Lillard went 6-for-13 with the three-ball. He delivered five assists in the contest and recorded four rebounds with one steal. The 2024 All-Star Game MVP is thoroughly enjoying his first postseason campaign in three years, sitting among the top scorers with 34.5 points and boasting a very impressive 50 percent success rate from behind the arc.

Tyrese Haliburton Wed Apr 24 9:10am

Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton had a 12-point, 12-assist double-double in Tuesday's Game 2 victory over the Bucks. He already had seven assists in the first half and didn't have any trouble completing his double-double after the break, hitting three shots from downtown with seven attempts and finishing with 4-for-10 overall shooting. Additionally, Haliburton grabbed four rebounds and disrupted Milwaukee's offense by registering one steal and one block. The young Pacers star was a nightmare for the Bucks during the regular season, but they have found a way to limit him to 10.5 points in the playoffs so far. However, he's been shooting 40 percent from three-point range, and it looks to be only a matter of time before Haliburton explodes for a big performance in his first playoff campaign.

Pascal Siakam Wed Apr 24 9:00am

Indiana Pacers forward/center Pascal Siakam led all scorers with 37 points and bagged 11 rebounds as his squad tied the first-round series against Milwaukee at one with a 125-108 win in Game 2 on Tuesday night. Siakam became the first player to start a postseason campaign with consecutive 35-point, 10-rebound performances since Wilt Chamberlain in 1967. The two-time All-Star reached the impressive double-double with 16-for-23 shooting, and he also found time to dish out six assists. The Pacers will be delighted to see their midseason acquisition flourish in the playoffs, but Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) is reportedly close to returning to action, and his presence will make things a lot more difficult for Siakam.

Devin Booker Wed Apr 24 8:50am

Phoenix Suns guard/forward Devin Booker top-scored for the team with 20 points in Tuesday's Game 2 loss to the Timberwolves. He finished with 6-for-13 shooting from the field and went 7-for-8 at the charity stripe. Phoenix had a miserable night offensively in a 105-93 loss, and it was summed up well by Booker's 1-for-6 effort from deep. The Suns star also collected three rebounds, five assists, and two steals with six turnovers before fouling out with a couple of minutes remaining in the game. Frank Vogel's team is now 2-0 down in the series, and Phoenix will need a lot more from Booker to turn things around. He's shot below 40 percent in the series so far, averaging 19.0 points.

Anthony Edwards Wed Apr 24 8:40am

Minnesota Timberwolves guard/forward Anthony Edwards couldn't replicate his Game 1 performance in the second game of the first-round series against Phoenix, settling for 15 points on 3-for-12 shooting in Tuesday's 105-93 win. He made two shots from outside with six attempts and was 7-for-8 at the line. Edwards couldn't get going shooting-wise but helped out well in other areas, delivering a game-high eight assists and notching five rebounds with three steals and one block. Karl-Anthony Towns also struggled to make an impact offensively, but Minnesota still dominated the contest, which must be very encouraging for the team going forward. The series shifts to Phoenix on Friday, with Edwards looking to produce a bounce-back performance in Game 3.

Daniel Gafford Tue Apr 23 11:10pm

Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford (back) returned to Tuesday's matchup with the Clippers. He logged just three minutes before exiting in the first quarter with back soreness. But it appears Gafford is at least feeling well enough to return, although there's a chance he could be limited. The 25-year-old also tweaked his ankle on Sunday in Game 1, so he may appear on the injury report heading into Game 3 on Friday night.

Karl-Anthony Towns Tue Apr 23 11:10pm

Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns went cold offensively in Tuesday's postseason win over Phoenix. He scored only 12 points, going 3-for-7 from the field and 1-for-4 from deep. Fortunately, the 2015 No. 1 overall pick at least added eight rebounds and a steal. At any rate, Towns hasn't looked the same since returning from knee surgery. However, he should turn things around at some point during this series, so DFS managers should keep him on the radar.