NBA Awards Rankings: New No. 1 in Sixth Man of the Year race

The Minnesota Timberwolves are 8-3, which places them third in the Western Conference. It's early, so a lot can change, but it feels like the Wolves are here to stay. An elite defense, a legitimate No. 1 superstar, and a strong supporting cast — it's hard to ask for much more than that. One underrated factor in the Wolves' success has been the bench, which starts with Naz Reid.

Reid signed a three-year, $42 million contract over the summer, which led many folks to question the Wolves' roster-building strategy. Reid is unavoidably stuck behind Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns in the Minnesota frontcourt hierarchy. And yet, he's still playing 23.3 minutes per game because he's simply too good not to play. The Wolves are finding ways to keep Reid involved, and he continues to produce at a high level in the minutes he is given.

So far, Reid is on track for his best NBA season to date, averaging 13.0 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 0.7 assists on .542/.444/.950 splits. He offers a different dynamic than KAT on offense, bullying smaller defenders in the post and muscling his way to points on funky, but effective face-up drives. He's shooting 3s at the highest volume and efficiency of his life, and also supplying a useful (if not great) defensive presence with his strength in the post.

Much has been made about the Timberwolves' clear plan to combat the first-place Denver Nuggets with overwhelming size. It's difficult to overstate the value of a quality backup center who can score at multiple levels, gallop the floor in transition, and wage battle in the post in the Western Conference. Reid deserves his flowers.