Report: Cavaliers Once Coveted Naz Reid As 3rd Big Alongside Jarrett Allen And Evan Mobley

February 24, 2025

According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, the Cleveland Cavaliers once coveted Naz Reid as a third big man alongside Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley.

This was back in 2023.

“Before Reid signed a three-year contract extension with Minnesota in June 2023, Cleveland coveted Reid as a third big man alongside Allen and Mobley, sources said,” Fischer wrote. “The Cavaliers, though, just made a major addition of their own before the deadline passed, snagging De’Andre Hunter from the Hawks while also managing to get out of the luxury tax altogether in the process.”

Reid is making $13,986,432 this season. He’s expected to decline his $15,022,464 player option for next season to enter unrestricted free agency this summer.

“Reid, who is the league’s reigning Sixth Man of the Year for a few more months, possesses a $15 million player option for 2025-26 that many of those same strategists expect he’ll decline in search of a richer arrangement in the summer,” Fischer wrote. “His scoring, rebounding and assists have all increased since last season’s 6MOY success and Reid continues to shoot better than 40% from 3-point range.”

Reid is averaging 14.7 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists this season while shooting 48.2% from the field, 40.4% from beyond the arc and 81.1% from the free-throw line.

The 25-year-old Reid has career NBA averages of 11.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists.

“Even though it is not immediately clear how Reid can go out and find an annual salary higher than his current $15 million player option for 2025-26, bear in mind that the Wolves have shown a tendency under Tim Connelly to sign the players seen as key contributors (a la Rudy Gobert, Jaden McDaniels and Mike Conley) to extensions,” Fischer wrote. “And Reid certainly qualifies. The 25-year-old is such an integral member of this team, both on the court and off, leading to the expectation that both sides are more likely than not to come to terms on a new deal.”