There's a "very high" chance the Charlotte Hornets will trade Naz Reid, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.
"The possibilities of Naz Reid getting traded again are very high," he said on The Jon Krawczynski Show. "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 people to really vault what they hope is contention. I think you can say that Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel are gonna be there. Beyond that, who knows?"
That is a huge development for a team like the Portland Trail Blazers, which still needs frontcourt help. Reid would be a perfect fit, as that stretch four can also play five as insurance for Robert Williams III's injury history.
Naz Reid would be a great fit in the Blazers' frontcourt rotation
Reid would give head coach Micah Nori more flexibility in the frontcourt, as he is the exact player archetype this frontcourt is lacking. They addressed it to an extent with Micah Potter, but Reid is far more productive in that role.
Reid is putting up career numbers to start the season in Charlotte, averaging 17.4 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 2.1 assists. Most importantly for Portland, he's shooting 36.5 percent from beyond the arc, right around his career average.
Reid is one of the most reliable floor-spacing big men in the association. General manager Joe Cronin tends to covet size, and the fact that Reid can play the four has to be appealing, allowing Portland to play to its strengths. He fits this roster as one of those versatile players with an impressive skill set for a 6-foot-9 big. Not only would that floor spacing help players like Deni Avdija and Ja Morant get downhill, but Reid also gives them another big who's a capable ball-handler and shot creator, letting them run in transition.
Nori has talked about how this team's strength lies in having all those decision-makers on the court at once. Donovan Clingan is even underrated in that aspect when it comes to his court vision, but he's also far more limited than Reid. Having both available to rotate and even play alongside each other would make this team that more dangerous than it already is after the strong 8-3 start.
Reid and the Blazers could be an underrated match for each other as a fit that could be easily overlooked given their amount of centers. But this not only seems like the type of move Cronin would make; it also fits the winning formula he's discovered.
The downside of Reid's strong start is that the Hornets will be looking to sell high, but the Blazers have been stockpiling assets. This start and Damian Lillard's return are just more reason to make a push this season, and Reid could be a great frontcourt addition before February's trade deadline.
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