NBA Rumors: Cam Reddish wants an impactful role on an NBA team, might opt out from New York Knicks
In January, the Atlanta Hawks decided to part ways with Cam Reddish by trading him to the New York Knicks. In return, they received Kevin Knox and a future first-round pick.
Before being traded, the former top-10 pick looked to be turning a corner in his development. During the 34 games before the trade, he averaged 11.9 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1 steal. Unfortunately, that trend did not continue after arriving in New York.
Following the trade, the young forward played only 15 games before undergoing a season-ending shoulder surgery. In that span, he played roughly 14 minutes a night and averaged career-lows across the board.
After not being able to find consistent minutes with the Knicks, Reddish is looking to move on to something new. Marc Berman of The New York Post recently reported that the young wing desires another change of scenery where he can have a larger role.
Berman wrote that Reddish was unhappy as he initially didn't crack the rotation for New York. Among the teams with reported interest in a possible trade is the LA Lakers.
Source: Cam Reddish prefers change of scenery for better role #Knicks #Lakers #NBA nypost.com/2022/09/01/cam…
Cam Reddish was vastly underutilized by the New York Knicks
In today's NBA, having adequate 3-and-D wing players is essential for teams looking to be competitive. With so much of the game happening on the perimeter, versatile defenders are worth their weight in gold.
I’m telling you…give Cam Reddish an opportunity on a competent team and he’ll rewrite the perception of his career. (CC: Milwaukee)
This is only the buckets really. He was phenomenal defensively that game as well. Best player on the floor for ATL.
https://t.co/WCDeAZs2gy
Needing surgery is a tough blow, but a case can be made that the New York Knicks have greatly underutilized Cam Reddish. At 6-foot-8, he has all the intangibles to become a great two-way forward in the league.
Along with being a strong defender, Reddish's offensive game was also making strides. Leading up to the trade, he was shooting 37.9% from beyond the arc on close to five attempts per game.
Given that he was a lottery-level talent coming out of Duke, expectations were high heading into his NBA career. For the Knicks, it made little sense to trade for a young player on the rise when having little intention of playing him. Especially considering the Knicks had a steep drop-off in 2022 after making the playoffs a year prior.
At 23-years-old, there is still time for the former top-10 pick to find his footing elsewhere. If the Knicks don't see him as a part of their future, they should certainly look to move him some time soon.