NBA Free Agency 2017 Player Profile: Willie Reed
By Ti Windisch
![Apr 7, 2017; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Miami Heat forward Willie Reed (35) defends Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry (7) at the Air Canada Centre. Toronto defeated Miami 96-94. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports Apr 7, 2017; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Miami Heat forward Willie Reed (35) defends Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry (7) at the Air Canada Centre. Toronto defeated Miami 96-94. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/0ba07f3882c320e55bb7916b3af0bac48ba30780451f88a02cb1efa845aad844.jpg)
Salary
Even though it seems like everybody got paid last season, I wouldn’t expect Willie Reed to grab a Timofey Mozgov $64 million, four-year contract this July. I’ve certainly been wrong before though. About that very deal, in fact.
Still, last summer’s nightmares have become teaching moments for many teams, and not that many franchises really need a center. Some of the teams who do, like the Golden State Warriors and the Toronto Raptors, if they dump Jonas Valanciunas, won’t have the money to give a big man a big contract.
As covered extensively here on site in the running up to Greg Monroe‘s player option decision and potential free agency, the center market is not dead, but it’s not thriving. That’s not great for Reed, who projects as a backup center at best on a decent team.
He’ll probably get more than minimum, but not a ton more. A Dewayne Dedmon type of contract–two years, $6 million–seems like a good guess for what Reed ends up getting. Although, again, a player is worth whatever they’re offered in NBA free agency.