Timberwolves Elevate Naz Reid to Starting Power Forward After Randle Trade — What It Means for 2026 Title Push

Naz Reid is suddenly at the center of the Minnesota Timberwolves’ summer storyline. Fresh off a reported five-year, $125 million extension with the franchise, the 26-year-old big man is now expected to move into the starting power-forward slot when training camp opens this fall. The shift would reunite Reid with Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert in a jumbo frontcourt that coach Chris Finch experimented with in spurts last season. Reid thrived in those minutes, posting career highs of 14.8 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.3 blocks while shooting 38.7 percent from three—production that earned him NBA Sixth Man of the Year honors and convinced Minnesota’s front office to invest long-term. According to team insider Jon Krawczynski, the plan is “not experimental anymore”—Reid is penciled in to start alongside Towns, pushing Gobert into a roaming rim-protector role and giving Finch a floor-spacer who can punish switches and attack closeouts. The move also signals confidence that Reid’s improved lateral quickness can survive extended minutes against quicker power forwards, a weakness that scouts targeted early in his career. Reid’s expanded role comes amid persistent trade chatter surrounding Minnesota’s crowded frontcourt. League sources told Yahoo Sports that at least one rival club made what was described as a “shameless” low-ball offer for the former undrafted standout, only to be rebuffed by president Tim Connelly. With Towns and Gobert locked into max deals, moving either veteran could open even more touches for Reid while easing long-term luxury-tax pressure. For now, the Timberwolves are doubling down on the Reid gamble. Internal analytics show that Minnesota posted a +8.9 net rating when Reid shared the floor with Towns last season, fifth-best among 100-possession lineups that logged at least 400 minutes. His quick-trigger pick-and-pop triples forced defenses to stretch, clearing lanes for Anthony Edwards to attack the rim—an element Finch wants as a staple of next season’s offense. Fan reaction has been overwhelmingly positive on social platforms. Clips of Reid knocking down corner threes and euro-stepping past slower bigs have racked up millions of views on Threads and TikTok, while local columnists have urged the Wolves to “validate their Naz Reid belief” by committing to him as a starter all year. Fantasy-basketball managers have taken notice as well; Reid’s average draft position in early mock drafts has jumped into the top-80 for the first time. What comes next? Minnesota still needs backcourt shooting depth and could explore deals using its glut of frontcourt salaries. But for Reid, the path is clear: seize the starting job, anchor the second unit when rotations tighten, and prove that last season’s breakout was only the beginning. If he delivers, the Wolves may finally have the positional versatility—and offensive firepower—to challenge the Western Conference elite.