The Atlanta Hawks traded third-year wing Cam Reddish to the New York Knicks in exchange for a 2022 protected first-round pick and Kevin Knox on Thursday. Solomon Hill and a 2025 second-round pick were also sent to New York in the deal.
On Friday, Hawks general manager Travis Schlenk — who had previously hinted that moves could be on the horizon — said Reddish approached the front office during the offseason hoping to land in a situation where he could play a more prominent role.
Schlenk on Reddish: "Cam had come to us during the offseason & expressed the desire to maybe get to a situation where he could have a little bigger role."
Said Reddish went about it in the right way. Schlenk told him if they found something that works, they'd take a look at it.
— Sarah K. Spencer (@sarah_k_spence) January 14, 2022
Reddish’s first 2.5 seasons have been full of peaks and valleys. As a rookie, he struggled for the first three or so months before hitting his stride as a shot-maker and continued to offer intriguing defensive playmaking skills. In year two, he opened the season on an encouraging note before enduring a lengthy cold streak and ultimately being sidelined for a prolonged period with an Achilles injury.
Then, he returned in the Eastern Conference Finals to average 12.8 points on 66.8 percent true shooting across four games. This season, he’s avoided injury and scored more effectively, but remains prone to inconsistent shooting and defense. Perhaps, New York provides a new situation for him to achieve consistency on both ends.
Regardless, good on Atlanta for accommodating Reddish’s request for a better landing spot. Hopefully, it’s exactly what he needs to thrive.
