What Cam Reddish Brings to the Table
The talk of Tinseltown is how Austin Reaves has grown into the Los Angeles Lakers’ third-best player behind LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Everybody is excited about how LeBron James is entering his 21st NBA season and still performing at an elite level. Fans are fired up about the Lakers’ new acquisition of Gabe Vincent and returnee Rui Hachimura.
And yet, we’ve heard almost nothing about another new acquisition in Cam Reddish.
Reddish, picked tenth overall by the Atlanta Hawks in the 2019 NBA Draft, signed a two-year contract with the Purple and Gold last month- joining the list of acquisitions the Lakers added to their roster this offseason. His previous NBA stints include stops with the Hawks, the New York Knicks, and the Portland Trail Blazers.
Last season, he averaged 11 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.2 steals while shooting 31.8% from the three-point line in 20 regular-season games with the Blazers. Because of his numerous stops across a 4 year NBA career, it would be easy to dismiss Reddish. But at only 23 years of age, there’s an argument to be made that he’s simply been “miscast” in his roles up to this point.
The question is: what can Cam Reddish bring to the table for a loaded Lakers squad?
Energy on Both Sides
One flaw the Lakers need to overcome next season is their overreliance on LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Sure, they have guys like Reaves, Hachimura, and D’Angelo Russell but when it comes to a two way game, each has their warts. Especially Russell.
What LA needs is someone who can ensure they not only avoid a scoring drought while LeBron and AD are on the bench, but also prevent the other team from scoring in bursts as well. That type of player could be Reddish if put in the right role.
Speaking to the media, the former Duke standout shared what he believes he can bring to the table for a franchise that made the Western Conference Finals last season. “I think the ability to do it on both sides of the ball. Bring that energy on defense and then offensive being able to do a variety of different things.”
While consistency has eluded him thus far in his career, the former Mr. Pennsylvania Basketball award winner still has the ability to dazzle offensively when required. In Game Six of the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals, Cam Reddish- then playing for the Hawks, nailed six threes against the eventual champion Milwaukee Bucks. Reddish scored 21 points in that game- and kept the Hawks within striking distance despite a 44-point third-quarter outburst by the Bucks.
While Reddish has yet to live up to the hype surrounding him as a 5 star recruit out of HS, he still has room to develop as a 6’8” wing.. In 20 games for Portland after being traded last February, he proved he can produce decent results when given the chance.
More importantly, Reddish adds to the depth the Lakers will have at the small forward position alongside Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Taurean Prince. When the Lakers were sleepwalking through the opening stretch of the 2022-23 season, a big reason why was a lack of a supporting cast. Especially along the perimeter.
That certainly won’t be an issue this year for the team. And Reddish will have every opportunity to establish himself as a viable option off the bench for LA. Without a perennial All-Star in front of him, the former Blue Devil could even carve out a starting role for himself with a strong start to the year.
With Darvin Ham as his head coach, Reddish should blossom on the defensive end of the court. The Hawks played fast and loose on defense, and Tom Thibodeau never appeared to have been a proponent of acquiring the small forward in the first place in New York, and largely played him like an unwanted step-child during his stint in the Big Apple. Meanwhile Portland was hoping to bottom out to end the 2022 campaign, making Ham the first NBA coach who will truly be demanding of Reddish on his own side of the court.
While it would a huge leap to assume he’ll suddenly be flirting with All-NBA defensive team status all of a sudden, expecting an uptick in his defensive prowess isn’t unreasonable. If he can chip in similar or better numbers than he did with the Trail Blazers, then suddenly you have the makings of a highly effective “4th option” on a deep Lakers roster.
At 2 years / $4.6M, Reddish could be a steal for Los Angeles this season. And with 2024-25 acting as a player option, the team’s front office knows they’ll be getting a highly motivated player at below market cost.
-Iggy Gonzales
Photo: All-Pro Reels. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.