Lakers Want to Acquire $19 Million Star Forward: Report

Getty Lakers GM Rob Pelinka (left) and head coach Darvin Ham

The Los Angeles Lakers reportedly want to acquire a $19 million star forward.

Ian Begley of SNY reported on December 8 that the Lakers have expressed interest in trading for New York Knicks swingman Cam Reddish.

“There was a report from the New York Daily News on Wednesday that stated Reddish and his representatives were working with the Knicks on a trade,” Begley wrote. “Reddish said he wasn’t aware of that development and hadn’t requested a trade. Regardless, several teams have expressed interest in trading for Reddish since the Knicks acquired him in January 2022. The Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat and Milwaukee Bucks are among the teams who reached out to New York in that span. It’s worth noting that the Lakers and Knicks talked earlier this month about a potential trade that would have required a third team to complete.”

Reddish has appeared in 20 games for the Knicks this season. He’s averaging 8.4 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.0 assists while shooting 44.9% from the field, 30.4% from beyond the arc and 87.9% from the free-throw line. The Duke product, along with Derrick Rose and Evan Fournier, is no longer in the Knicks’ rotation.

Lakers Have Had Their Eyes on Reddish Before

Marc Berman of the New York Post reported in August that the Lakers wanted to trade for Reddish in a three-team deal involving the Knicks and Utah Jazz. That dream went away after the Jazz traded All-Star Donovan Mitchell to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Berman also reported in September that Reddish wanted the Knicks to trade him.

“The Post has learned Reddish wants a change of scenery from New York after he was traded there in January and didn’t initially crack the rotation to build confidence,” Berman wrote. “An NBA source said Reddish is looking for a larger role. The Post reported soon after the trade with Atlanta that Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau was against the deal as he didn’t see Reddish as an upgrade to the current rotation. According to an NBA source, Reddish, too, was leery of the trade to the Knicks because he also saw a logjam at the wing, including his former Duke teammate, RJ Barrett, being the man there. Reddish said in his opening remarks he still feels he could be ‘a star’ and most scouts think he’s more athletic than Barrett.”

On December 7, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News reported that the Knicks were working with Reddish and his representatives to secure a trade for him. However, the 23-year-old disputed that rumor.

“I haven’t requested any trades,” Reddish said, per Peter Botte of the New York Post. “I have not. Y’all seem to know more than me, for real. I don’t know what y’all talking about, but I haven’t requested no trade, nothing like that.”

How Can the Lakers Get Reddish?

Under CBA rules, the Lakers can trade Patrick Beverley, Kendrick Nunn and draft picks to the Knicks for Reddish and Rose. Los Angeles is shopping Beverley and Nunn, according to Jovan Buha of The Athletic.

“The Lakers’ updated timeline on beginning to explore trade options is Dec. 15, and they are weighing three different paths, multiple team sources told The Athletic,” Buha wrote on December 1. “Here’s what you need to know: Path 1 is to trade Russell Westbrook, plus a pick or two, for a star or multiplayer haul. Path 2 is to trade some combination of Patrick Beverley, Kendrick Nunn and picks (one first-round and/or multiple second-round picks) for role players who better address needs and upgrade the rotation. Path 3 would be two separate deals: one with Westbrook plus one first-round pick, another using a Beverley-Nunn-pick package.”

Reddish has career averages of 10.2 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.2 assists with the Atlanta Hawks and Knicks.