The Los Angeles Lakers made a significant call to the Minnesota Timberwolves this past summer, eyeing Naz Reid before their big free agent spending spree. That’s the word from Dan Woike of The Athletic, who dropped the intel on “The Zach Lowe Show” on Friday. This wasn’t just some casual chat, either, it was a peek into what the Lakers were trying to do before their roster got completely overhauled.
LA’s Hunt For a Bargain Big Man
The Lakers were super interested in finding an offensive-minded four this summer. They specifically called the Timberwolves about Reid pretty early on, looking to add that specific skill set. Woike reported that they identified teams facing some “salary pressure points,” hoping they could snag a player for “75 cents on the dollar.” It’s a classic move, trying to save some cash and grab talent from a team in a tough spot. But here’s the kicker: Woike said the Lakers didn’t actually put a “very serious offer” on the table for Reid. They checked in, sure, but they weren’t exactly ready to break the bank to get him. It seemed more like a test of the waters, seeing if Minnesota was in full sell-off mode.
How Reid Ended Up Elsewhere And What LA Did Instead
Turns out, Reid wasn’t untouchable, but Minnesota had bigger plans than just cap relief. He eventually became a key part of the trade package Minnesota sent out to land LaMelo Ball, clearly part of their strategy to bring in a star and reorient their whole roster. Meanwhile, the Lakers had limited assets beyond their cap space. They could’ve used that cap space to soak up bad contracts or help other teams out of sticky cap situations, but they didn’t go that route. Instead, they opted to use nearly all of it on free agency, bringing in guys like Sandro Mamukelashvili, Quentin Grimes, and Collin Sexton. They also prioritized using their other assets to acquire center Walker Kessler. Once that move was done, they didn’t have much left in the tank for a trade target like Reid. It’s a shame, too, because Reid would’ve been a fantastic offensive fit. The guy has been one of the best offensive bigs in the league for a while, even bagging the Sixth Man of the Year award in 2024 and routinely finishing in the top five in voting ever since. It’s pretty wild to think about what could have been.
It’s always encouraging and interesting to see the different paths teams explore. This call for Naz Reid, even if it didn’t lead to a deal, definitely shows us a lot about the Lakers’ thinking and strategy for their big summer roster moves.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Silver Screen and Roll.
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