Cam Reddish’s next NBA opportunity may have to come the hard way.
The former Los Angeles Lakers starter will participate in NBA Summer League with the Orlando Magic, according to NBA insider Brett Siegel. For Reddish, a former No. 10 overall pick who started games for the Lakers as recently as last season 2024-25, it is a notable reset point in a career that has moved from high-end prospect to defensive role player to roster casualty.
Reddish was waived by the Lakers on March 27 as Los Angeles converted guard Jordan Goodwin from a two-way contract to a standard NBA deal. Reddish averaged 3.2 points and 17.8 minutes in 33 games, including eight starts, during the 2024-25 season. That matters because this is not a fringe prospect getting a routine July look. This is a 26-year-old wing with 254 NBA games and 116 starts trying to re-enter the league through a stage built for rookies, two-way hopefuls and G League players.
Why Cam Reddish’s Lakers Role Faded
For Lakers fans, the hook is not nostalgia. Reddish had a real role in Los Angeles. Former coach Darvin Ham used him as a point-of-attack defender, and there were stretches when Reddish started next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis because the Lakers needed size, length and defensive energy on the perimeter. When that version of Reddish showed up, his fit made sense.
The problem was the other end of the floor. Reddish has career averages of 8.5 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists while shooting 39.8% from the field and 32.2% from three. For a playoff-level wing, defense gets a player noticed. Shooting and decision-making keep him in the rotation. Reddish never gave the Lakers enough offensive reliability to make the experiment feel secure.
Orlando Summer League Gives Reddish an Assignment
That is why Summer League with Orlando is both a humbling step and a useful audition. Reddish does not need to dominate the ball or look like a former lottery pick in Las Vegas. He needs to show that he can guard multiple positions, space the floor, make simple reads and accept a role without needing touches to stay engaged.
For the Magic, the evaluation is low-risk. Orlando can see whether Reddish’s defensive tools still translate against younger players fighting for jobs. If his jumper looks playable and his defense holds up, he could push for a training camp invite or at least remind other teams that he remains available wing depth. If not, the comeback path gets tighter.
There is no need to oversell this as a Lakers mistake or a future reunion. Los Angeles made its choice when it prioritized Goodwin and playoff eligibility. But Reddish’s Summer League move is still relevant to Lakers fans because it says something about the team’s search for affordable two-way wings around James and Davis. Reddish had the body type, pedigree and defensive promise to be one. The shooting never caught up.
Now he gets a chance to change that story. Summer League is an unusual platform for a six-year veteran, but it gives Reddish a clear assignment: prove the defense is still real, the offense can survive, and the Lakers version was not the last version of his career.
Former Lakers Starter Cam Reddish Takes Humbling Step Toward NBA Return