New Charlotte Hornets big man Naz Reid got a bold prediction for the 2026-27 NBA season.
The Charlotte Hornets acquired Naz Reid from the Minnesota Timberwolves in the blockbuster LaMelo Ball trade and one NBA analyst predicts Reid will put up great numbers next season.
Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report believes Reid "averages a 20-point, 10-rebound double-double" during the 2026-27 NBA season.
"Reid arrives in Buzz City as, objectively speaking, the best backup big man in basketball. The Hornets clearly see an even brighter future in front of him. He was by far the most significant player they received for their stunning subtraction of franchise face LaMelo Ball," Buckley wrote.
"The Hornets will feature Reid in ways to help justify that change-of-direction to fans still on the fence about it. And if he's getting 30-plus minutes on the regular—he'll be featured at both the 4 and 5 spots—he should be a double-double machine. To this point, his career per-36-minutes averages sit at 19.7 points and 8.5 rebounds."
Next season will be the first time in his NBA career that Reid will be a starter. It will be fascinating to see how the 26-year-old performs in head coach Charles Lee's system.
Reid won the 2023-24 Sixth Man of the Year award. He enters next season with career averages of 11.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game in the regular season and 10.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game in the playoffs.
For Minnesota this past season, Reid averaged 13.6 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game while shooting 45.6% from the field, 36.2% from beyond the arc and 73.2% from the free-throw line. He recorded six double-doubles.
Reid will make $23,275,862 next season. Multiple teams have tried to acquire him from the Hornets, but Charlotte is keeping the talented power forward.
The Hornets are expected to start Coby White, Brandon Miller, Kon Knueppel, Reid and Moussa Diabaté next season. That's a strong starting five on paper.
During an interview with Roderick Boone of the Charlotte Observer, Reid opened up about getting traded to the Hornets. The big man was on a plane to the Bahamas when he found out he was being traded from Minnesota to Charlotte.
“I was on my way to the Bahamas,” Reid said. "I just checked my bags, I left the greeter service. As soon as I sit down on the plane, I get the phone call from my agent and the GM in Minnesota. And I’m looking at the phone, but I already knew what it was about, you know what I’m saying? So, at that time I was going to get off the plane and try to figure stuff out.
“At that point, I’m with my family. I’m like, ‘Bro, I’m just going to go enjoy family time with them. And then when I get back, handle business from there.’ The initial phone call from my agent a couple days before, it was a little shocking. But it’s a business, and it’s kind of how it goes.”
