The Minnesota Timberwolves finished with the third-best record in the Western Conference and the fourth-best record league-wide, with many of their players enjoying a breakout season, particularly Naz Reid, who has been named the NBA Sixth Man of the Year.
Reid finished the regular season with career highs of 13.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, and a three-point percentage of 41.4% in 24.2 minutes of action across 81 games. He got to the 30-point mark twice and also scored 20 or more points 14 times.
The 24-year-old, who made 169 three-pointers, surpassing his total from the previous two seasons combined (132), beats Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk and Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis to the award to take home the John Havlicek Trophy.
Minnesota Timberwolves center-forward Naz Reid is the recipient of the John Havlicek Trophy as the 2023-24 Kia NBA Sixth Man of the Year. pic.twitter.com/NhIHN5sQV7
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) April 24, 2024
The Wolves’ No. 11 came off the bench 67 times, starting the other 14 games, especially during the absence of Karl-Anthony Towns, a period where he averaged 17.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks across a 17-game span.
Reid also made history by becoming the first Timberwolves player to be named the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year. He also becomes just the third undrafted player to claim the award, joining John Starks (New York Knicks) and Darrell Armstrong (Orlando Magic).
The complete voting results for the 2023-24 Kia NBA Sixth Man of the Year. pic.twitter.com/wfP9hbqTOQ
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) April 24, 2024
The 6-foot-9 forward-center, who signed a $42 million contract extension last summer to remain in Minnesota, helped the Wolves with 843 points off the bench, the second most in their franchise history. He was also integral to Chris Finch’s side finishing with a 56-26 record in the regular season, their second-best season ever.
Reid got 352 total votes, including 45 first-place votes; Monk got ten fewer total votes with 43 first-place votes, and Portis had 81 total votes with five first-place votes. Los Angeles Clippers’ Norman Powell was fourth with 85 votes and just two first-place votes.
