The New York Knicks can do some intriguing things with new acquisition from the Atlanta Hawks, Cam Reddish. Having played with RJ Barrett at Duke during his collegiate career, Reddish was once on the Knicks’ radar back in the 2019 NBA draft. However, the front office elected to stick with Barrett with the 3rd overall pick.
Reddish hasn’t experienced a lot of opportunity in Atlanta, something he hopes to gain in New York.
Reddish is averaging just 23.4 minutes this season, the lowest of his career by a sizable margin. He’s started seven games, despite being relatively healthy and recovered from an Achilles issue last year.
The 6’8″ small forward is contributing 11.9 points and shooting 38% from three-point range, both career highs in low minutes. As a small forward, he can contribute versatility, but some scouts believe he will fill the 3-and-D void the Knicks currently have after letting Reggie Bullock walk this past off-season.
According to Greg Joyce of NY Post, scouts are intrigued by the Knicks adding Cam Reddish:
“Most of the time, you say hey, when a guy’s been in the league about three years, maximum four years, he is what he is,” former 76ers scout Michael Vandegarde said in a phone interview. “But on the flip side, he still is 22 and he missed a significant chunk of time over his first three years. So you could look at it as a glass half-empty, glass half-full.
“A three-and-D guy, there’s massive upside to that for Cam Reddish and maybe he can be more. Maybe he can be a guy that finds a little more offense in his game. He definitely has the skill set to have more offense in his game.”
Reddish hosts a 113.8 defensive rating and -10 net rating. Low confidence and motivation might be a catalyst behind his lackluster play at times, having informed Atlanta’s front office he would prefer a bigger role on another team. Pairing up with Barrett will give him a familiar face to work with, and the energy of MSG can be reinvigorating.
“He’s an ascending offensive player and can defend multiple positions,’’ an Eastern Conference scout said. “He’s just 22 and the Knicks don’t have a big wing that talented on the roster. Cam hopefully will get a fair shot at this and make the most of it.’’