Should Celtics Be Interested In A Cam Reddish Trade With Knicks? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens and head coach Ime Udoka both bank scores marked as a necessity for Boston this off season.
Can a deal with the New York Knicks help them fulfill that need?
Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported Friday that Knicks Wing Cam reddish “may be on the move” this off-season as New York wants to clear cap space for free-agent target Jalen Brunson† The Knicks also included Reddish in the draft night trading discussions, by Ian Begley of SNYso it sounds like they are open to dealing with the 22 year old.
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Reddish would be a financial fit for Boston; he’s going to make $5.9 million in 2022-23 in the final year of his rookie contract, so the Celtics could use their $5.9 million traded player exception to acquire it without matching the salaries. But is he a basketball fit?
Reddish has failed to live up to expectations since finishing at number 10 overall in the 2019 NBA Draft. He averaged 11.1 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.3 assists over two seasons with the Atlanta Hawks and struggled with his shot (38.5 percent FG, 32.9 percent 3PT). He also struggled to stay on the field, playing fewer than 60 games in each of his first three seasons and sustaining a season-ending shoulder injury with the Knicks in March.
However, the former Duke star has plenty of raw talent and flashed his potential by dropping 21 points against the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 6 of the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals. At six feet tall, he has the athleticism to take on multiple guard defensive positions and be an offensive threat from the bench behind star wings Jayson Tatum (a fellow Duke alum) and Jaylen Brown†
The Celtics also apparently had Reddish on their radar in February, allegedly discussing the framework of a trade that would have sent Marcus Smart to Atlanta for Kevin Huerter and Reddish.
The Knicks would likely demand a first-round pick for Reddish, and the Celtics can’t trade their 2023 first-rounder under the NBA’s “Stepien Rule,” which prevents NBA teams from going back years in a row without a first-round pick. (Boston sent his 2022 first-rounder to the San Antonio Spurs in the Derrick White trade.)
So a realistic deal for Reddish could be a 2023 second-rounder and Boston rotational player, or a Celtics first-rounder in 2024 or beyond.
udoka hinted at a desire to add veteran talent after seeing his young second unit wrestle in the NBA Finals, so maybe the C’s prefer a more experienced bank scorer than Reddish. But there’s a lot of benefit here, so don’t be surprised if Stevens gives the Knicks at least a phone call.