LA Lakers trade rumors: Cam Reddish of New York Knicks "intrigues" 17x NBA champions
The LA Lakers could look at the New York Knicks’ Cam Reddish as a possible reinforcement as they deal with Anthony Davis’ injury. LA, which has shown that they can compete against the best when AD is healthy, could add a young, athletic wingman before the trade deadline.
Per Dan Woike of the LA Times, the 17x champs are “very intrigued” with Reddish. The former Duke star has played only 20 of the Knicks’ games and has not seen action in New York’s last nine games. Reddish last played on December 3 in a 121-100 loss to the Dallas Mavericks.
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The small forward was on the court for nine minutes and contributed only one assist and three turnovers. Head coach Tom Thibodeau has since kept him on the bench even when he’s healthy. In the New York Knicks’ lopsided 132-94 win versus the Golden State Warriors last Tuesday, Svi Mykhailiuk and Ryan Arcidiacono got in on the action.
Reddish, meanwhile, remained glued on the bench, listlessly looking at his teammates who were having a grand time drubbing the Warriors.
Getting him off the New York Knicks, however, will be costly. The Eastern Conference team is reportedly asking for a protected first-round pick in exchange for Cam Reddish. LA Lakers GM has so far refused to include one or both 2027 and 2029 first-round picks in rumored trade negotiations.
The Lakers, Heat and Bucks are among the teams to show interest in Cam Reddish this past year, per @IanBegley https://t.co/ONtcfPeQM4
The acquisition of Reddish could improve LA’s perimeter defense and versatility, but it’s unlikely that they’re willing to flip a first-rounder for him. The Lakers are supposedly only willing to include that coveted pick for a player that will make them legitimate title contenders.
There is hope that moving from The Big Apple to Hollywood could be the jolt that Cam Reddish will need to resurrect his career. LA will not bet on that as the risks are too big to swing for that kind of trade involving their first-round pick.
The LA Lakers could stick to their wait-and-see approach when it comes to a potential trade
The LA Lakers gambled on a wait-and-see method throughout the summer of endless Russell Westbrook rumors. That approach has paid off somewhat as Westbrook has turned his season around and is now a leading contender for Sixth Man of the Year.
Additionally, “Brodie” has become a big part of Darvin Ham’s rotation and he could end up playing out his final year with the Lakers.
If Westbrook will ultimately go, the LA Lakers should also get more out of his trade than in the offseason when his value was lowest. There are already trade rumors of Westbrook and picks for Bradley Beal of the Washington Wizards.
As the season moves toward the February trade deadline, more players should be available. The Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes will also likely heat up, which will push a few more teams to trade valuable players.
All of these will only reward the LA Lakers’ patience. By the trade deadline, half of Westbrook’s $47 million contract will be paid more than halfway through. His expiring contract for a tanking team will become very attractive.
The Lakers will have several more options open up for them as the season moves forward. They’ll just have to bite the bullet, endure the struggles without Anthony Davis and even LeBron James before swinging for the fences.