Getty Cam Reddish could be running out of options.
The New York Knicks failed to acquire Donovan Mitchell from the Utah Jazz, so the roster appears to be quite set going forward and unless there’s a blockbuster trade between now and the start of the next season, this will be the squad fans are rooting for.
By not making a move, the Knicks will have to find playing time for Cam Reddish, a player who came over last season before the trade deadline. Reddish was never able to find a good fit with the team, and now Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley believes Reddish will be fighting for his NBA career with the Knicks.
It will be an uphill battle since his role isn’t clearly defined, and moving somebody like Evan Fournier or Julius Randle would help him greatly, but that’s just not in the cards at the moment.
Reddish Has a Lot to Prove Going Forward
The former Atlanta Hawks forward was a lottery pick by the team, but he never panned out the way they wanted him to, so he was shipped to the Knicks. It wasn’t a bad trade for the Hawks because they got a first-round pick in return, but that seemed to indicate the Knicks wanted him to play.
That never happened, and with his role not being clearly defined, Reddish’s career now hangs in the balance.
“While every Knick will have something at stake during the upcoming season, Cam Reddish might be playing for his NBA career,” wrote Buckley.
Reddish could likely flourish on another team where more playing time is available, and teams like the Spurs or even the Lakers come to mind. However, there’s no telling if a trade can happen for him any time soon.
What makes things rough for the Knicks and Reddish at the moment is during the playing time he did get, he just wasn’t all that good.
“The Knicks didn’t make him a rotation player right away, and even when he started getting minutes, he shot just 41.5 percent from the field and 25.8 percent from three,” Buckley continued. “You can still see the rough sketch of an intriguing talent—think: three-and-D forward with some shot-creation—but teams will only chase potential for so long before moving on to the next up-and-comer.”
What’s Next for Reddish?
Being 23 is one the thing that’s working in Reddish’s favor, but time is certainly running out for the young forward to prove himself.
The Knicks don’t look like the best place for him to do that, but it’s not like other teams are lining up to acquire his services.
“He needs a new deal by next season, and he hasn’t exactly incentivized teams to pay him,” Buckley said.
Lottery picks flame out of the league all the time, so it’s not like this is anything new, but Reddish was a Duke teammate of Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett, two players who will be sticking around in the league for a long time. Reddish can still get there, but he’ll have to make the best of his limited playing time to make that happen.