Amid all the understandable excitement about the Minnesota Timberwolves trading for LaMelo Ball, the loss of Naz Reid can't be overlooked. It's surely not being overlooked by Wolves fans who saw him grow from an undrafted rookie to a Sixth Man of the Year winner.
Reid will forever be a fan favorite, and the thousands of fans who have his name tattooed on their bodies will continue to root for him during his next journey with the Charlotte Hornets.
While it will be hard to replicate the connection Wolves fans have with him, given his incredible career path, Hornets fans will soon realize what makes him such an easy and likable player.
In addition to Reid's remarkable path to NBA success, his playstyle and elite complementary abilities are what make him such a fun player to root for.
Naz Reid is an easy player to root for
Despite being 6-foot-9, Reid almost operates like a guard spotting up from 3-point range while being able to create offense for himself and others if needed. This blend of offensive skill and size is incredibly fun to watch.
All the same, Reid is extremely tough. He rebounds well, plays with force, and makes hustle plays that lead to winning. Reid's ability to play through pain is also evident, as this past year, he continued to play despite being hampered by a shoulder injury that would have (understandably) sidelined countless players.
He also plays with a contagious level of joy and is generally considered a super positive guy, which made him beloved by all of his Wolves teammates. Reid was also involved in numerous charity organizations in Minnesota.
You put this all together, and it's easy to see why Reid was so beloved in Minnesota. And soon he will become a true fan favorite in Charlotte.
Reid is a great fit with the Hornets
It's also worth noting that Reid is a seamless fit with the Hornets. Last season, Charlotte fully embraced a 3-point-centric system, which perfectly fits Reid. Charlotte also runs an offense with more movement than Minnesota did, which should further help Reid fit in with the team.
However, the Hornets have lacked frontcourt size, especially big men who can space the floor -- safe to say Reid will help solve this problem. This, combined with Reid's aforementioned fun style of play, makes him poised to capture the hearts of Hornets fans from day one.
While I still firmly think the Wolves won this trade, losing Reid, an all-time fan favorite (and simply an all-time great Timberwolves player), stings in a real way.
In any event, Timberwolves fans will always be rooting for Reid. Charlotte got a great player and, by all accounts, a great person.
