Getty Isaiah Hartenstein reacts as Cam Reddish of the New York Knicks looks on during the first half against the Detroit Pistons.
All offseason long, the New York Knicks were easily one of the most oft-found teams mentioned within the trade rumor mill.
From their well-documented pursuit of Donovan Mitchell to their several low-profile transactions, Leon Rose and company were an incredibly active bunch this past summer as they looked to better bolster their ball club’s roster.
And though we’re now several weeks removed from this period in time and are already two games into the 2022-23 preseason, some believe that New York’s front office should still strongly consider making a splashy trade at some point during this upcoming campaign, and the folks at Bleacher Report seemingly view one player, in particular, as an ideal outbound asset.
In an October 7 piece, writer Zach Buckley stated that of all the players currently found on the Knicks’ roster, fourth-year forward Cam Reddish is a player whom they should strongly consider trading.
“Cam Reddish’s trade to the New York Knicks was supposed to provide him with a fresh start, but it’s been much of the same frustration that he encountered in Atlanta,” Buckley wrote.
“He has yet to conquer the keys to consistency, perhaps because he has struggled to find a consistent stretch of good health. His 2021-22 campaign ended early due a shoulder injury, and his 2022 preseason debut was cut short by an ankle injury.
“Maybe the Knicks remain intrigued by his three-and-D potential, but it seems like another scenery change could be needed. With RJ Barrett and Quentin Grimes in the wing rotation and the power forward position already overstuffed, Reddish’s opportunities are limited in the Empire State.”
The concept of seeing the 23-year-old traded from the Knicks is certainly nothing new, as Marc Berman of the New York Post reported back on September 1 that Reddish “wants a change of scenery,” though the forward quickly refuted these claims in an Instagram comment soon after and just recently discussed to the media on September 28 how these reports were untrue.
Regardless of whether he wants out of New York or not, it’s irrefutable that his name has been linked to trade rumors on multiple occasions in the past and, in Buckley’s opinion, they should seriously consider moving on from him.
However, when looking at Reddish’s potential, there’s a strong argument to be made that the club needs to try and hold onto him through at least the expiration of his rookie-scale contract.
Reddish Still Has a Ton of Potential
Since landing with the Knicks via a January 13, 2022 trade, it’s hard to say that Reddish’s tenure in New York has been a success story, as he played in only 15 games and posted sub-par averages of 6.1 points and 1.4 rebounds.
Having said that, even with his lackluster production overall, the former lottery pick did undoubtedly show flashes of promise in his minimal showings last season.
Particularly on the defensive end (averaged two steals and just shy of a block per 100 possessions) and during his final full contest of the year on March 6 where he posted 17 points on 57% shooting from the floor, before going down for the year with a shoulder injury on March 7, Reddish certainly showed signs of possibly developing into a quality two-way player within Tom Thibodeau’s scheme.
As Buckley alluded to in his article, the forward’s career has been significantly impacted by injuries, both with the Hawks and now with the Knicks.
However, heading into the season after a full summer of rehabilitation, Reddish is now coming into the 2022-23 campaign hungry to earn a new contract during next summer’s free agency period, as he’s entering the final year of his rookie deal.
A five-star recruit and one of the top prospects coming out of high school, the promise he possesses has already caught the eye of one MSG analyst, and could lead him towards a career year as we now approach his fourth season and most pivotal season in the association.
Knicks Coach Sounds Off on Robinson
After New York’s preseason opener, Tom Thibodeau couldn’t help but praise big man Mitchell Robinson for his skill set and efforts during the post-game press conference, and went as far as to say that he’s the league’s best offensive rebounder, according to SNY’s Ian Begley.
“He’s a freak athlete,” Thibodeau also said. “The things he can do are special.”
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Last season, Robinson saw himself putting up stupendous averages of 16.7 total rebounds and 8 offensive rebounds per 100 possessions, whilst boasting an offensive rebound percentage of 16.8.
To put this into perspective, the league’s leading rebounder from last season, Rudy Gobert, trailed the Knicks big man in both offensive rebounds per 100 possessions (5.6) and offensive rebound percentage (12.9).