The New York Knicks weren’t able to finish a trade with the Utah Jazz for NBA All-Star Donovan Mitchell, which was disheartening for some given how long negotiations were held. But, they have to continue moving forward and keep working on some trades to consolidate the roster.
Right now there are too many players worthy of minutes on the team but not enough playing time to go around. Tom Thibodeau will have his hands full figuring out the rotation as the Knicks have at least 11 players worthy of playing time and should be focusing on getting as much playing time as possible for their core players.
One of the players that could be on the move is Cam Reddish. It was recently reported that Reddish requested a trade from the Knicks, but that is something he has said is untrue.
Regardless of if the trade request occurred or not, Reddish very well could be the odd man out of the rotation heading into training camp.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Cam Reddish, New York Knicks & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
Jalen Brunson, Quentin Grimes, RJ Barrett, Julius Randle and Mitchell Robinson could be the starters. Off the bench, Derrick Rose, Immanuel Quickley, Evan Fournier, Obi Toppin and Isaiah Hartenstein will be getting minutes. That leaves Reddish, Jericho Sims and Deuce McBride playing part-time or emergency roles rounding out the roster.
If Reddish is looking for an opportunity at more playing time, there are a few teams around the league that could offer that to him. One of them is the Los Angeles Lakers, who have been linked to him previously. An NBA scout that spoke to NBA Analysis Network believes the purple and gold would be a great fit for Reddish.
“I can see why they’ve been linked to Cam Reddish. He’s a good 6-8, can shoot at a high level, and has good instincts defensively. He’s still got work to do on his game overall, but playing next to multiple stars in a defined but needed role could be great for him.”
Right now the Lakers have a fit of an identity crisis. If they are unable to move on from Russell Westbrook, they need to reshape the roster to try and get the most out of him. Playing Anthony Davis is one solution, but the team is lacking wing options to fill out that alignment.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Cam Reddish, New York Knicks & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
That is one of the things that the scout has pointed out as a big need for Los Angeles. Without shooters surrounding their stars, they are a very easy team for opponents to build a defensive scheme against.
“If the plan is have Westbrook play more off the ball, I don’t see how it’s going to work with AD not playing the five. The spacing isn’t going to be there. It’ll be too easy to overload on LeBron and pack the paint. They’ll need to play AD at the five to get the best out of their guys, but even then, they’re going to need a wing that can shoot and defend. There isn’t a talented option that can do those things on the roster like now.”
Teams led by LeBron James have always found success when he is surrounded by 3-point shooting, defensive-minded players. For whatever reason, the Lakers went away from that strategy last season, taking a risk on Westbrook.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Cam Reddish, New York Knicks & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
That was a risk that didn’t pan out and it is now time to adjust. This roster needs a lot of work and it starts with moving on from Westbrook, who isn’t a good fit alongside the other stars on the team.
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