CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski said the chances of Naz Reid being traded again are very high, four months after the Charlotte Hornets acquired the center from the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Krawczynski, who covers the Timberwolves, gave the assessment on Tuesday’s episode of The Jon Krawczynski Show. He did not report any trade talks involving Reid, and he did not name a destination or a timeline.
Krawczynski said the Hornets’ moves are aimed at eventually building a real contender.
“The Hornets now are clearly in a period of transition, and they decided that LaMelo Ball was not going to be a part of the team that they believe can eventually get to real contender status,” Krawczynski said. “They made a decision with that core group that they were not good enough as constructed and so they had to take a step back, amass some assets and go forward.”
Charlotte went 44-38 last season, its best record since 2015-16. The Hornets beat the Miami Heat in overtime in the Play-In Tournament before losing to the Orlando Magic, which ended their bid for a first playoff appearance in 10 seasons.
Krawczynski said the reset affects both the fan base and the current roster.
“And what that also means is that, A, the fans are going to be upset because they finally had a fun season last year and now it is going sideways again, but B, the possibilities of Naz Reid getting traded again are very high,” Krawczynski said.
How Naz Reid Landed With The Charlotte Hornets
Charlotte acquired Reid on July 10 in a four-team trade that sent LaMelo Ball and Josh Green to Minnesota. The Timberwolves sent Reid, the rights to Matteo Spagnolo, a 2033 first-round pick, three first-round pick swaps, and three second-round picks to Charlotte.
The Brooklyn Nets and Chicago Bulls were also part of the deal. Charlotte received Mouhamadou Gueye from Chicago and waived him July 30.
Reid is in the second season of the five-year, $125 million contract he signed with the Timberwolves in the summer of 2025. The deal includes a player option for 2029-30.
Three days after the Ball trade, Charlotte sent Miles Bridges and a 2027 second-round pick to the Phoenix Suns for Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale, and a 2033 first-round pick. The Hornets had signed Coby White to a multi-year contract on July 6.
Reid’s Start In Charlotte
Charlotte has started Reid in all 11 of its games. Undrafted out of LSU in 2019, he started 77 of 483 games across seven seasons in Minnesota, and he came off the bench in 74 of 77 appearances last season. He won Sixth Man of the Year in 2023-24 while starting 14 of 81 games.
With the Hornets, Reid is playing 29.5 minutes a night, up from 26.1 last season, and averaging 17.4 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 2.1 assists. He had never averaged more than 14.2 points in a season before this one.
Reid is taking 16.4 shots per game after taking 11.3 last season, and he is making 41.1% of them. He is also shooting 36.5% from 3-point range and 64.0% from the free-throw line.
On Monday, Reid had 25 points, 13 rebounds, and 4 assists in a 124-112 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. He shot 10-of-26 from the field and 4-of-9 from 3-point range. The win ended a six-game losing streak.
Charlotte is 4-7, ninth in the Eastern Conference. The Hornets are averaging 98.8 points per game, last in the NBA.
Krawczynski said he expects the turnover to continue beyond this season.
“This is a roster that I think is going to change over quite a bit over the next couple of years as the Hornets look for the right combination of of people to really vault into what they hope is contention,” Krawczynski said.
The Hornets play the Suns on Thursday in Phoenix.
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