The Charlotte Hornets intend to keep Naz Reid despite already receiving trade inquiries for the veteran big man, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. Reid became the centerpiece of Charlotte’s return in the blockbuster trade that sent LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The deal brought Reid, an unprotected 2033 first-round pick, three first-round pick swaps (2028, 2029 and 2030), and three second-round picks (2029, 2032 and 2033) to Charlotte. While the Hornets listened to offers on Ball, Charania reported that the team ultimately valued a package built around Reid and significant future draft capital.
Charlotte’s decision to keep Reid reflects his immediate fit alongside the team’s young core. The Hornets finished the 2025-26 season with a 44-38 record, earning a Play-In Tournament spot, and their roster already featured emerging scorers in Brandon Miller, Kon Knueppel and Miles Bridges.
Reid gives Charlotte a proven frontcourt scorer with the ability to space the floor. The 26-year-old averaged 13.6 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 77 games for Minnesota last season while finishing fourth in Sixth Man of the Year voting. He also enters the second season of a five-year, $125 million contract that includes a player option in the final year.
The Hornets’ frontcourt production in 2025-26 came largely from Moussa Diabaté and Ryan Kalkbrenner. Diabaté averaged 7.9 points and 8.7 rebounds in 73 games, while Kalkbrenner posted 7.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 69 appearances. Reid adds a different offensive dimension with his shooting range and ability to operate as a stretch big.
Charlotte’s perimeter group remains built around Miller, Ball before the trade, and Knueppel. Miller averaged 20.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists while shooting 38.3% from three, while Knueppel averaged 18.5 points and hit 42.5% of his three-point attempts as a rookie. Reid’s spacing could help create more room for those developing scorers.
