Lakers News: Vet Teammate Feels Ex-Lottery Pick Can Finally Tap Into Upside In LA

Recent Los Angeles Lakers addition Cam Reddish was an intriguing signing at the veteran's minimum, to say the least.

Ranked the third-best prospect in the high school graduating class of 2018 by 247Sports, Reddish played his college ball at Duke, where he was part of their illustrious recruiting class that included two future top-three picks: Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett.

Reddish struggled at Duke, causing him to slip on draft boards. He was taken 10th overall by the Atlanta Hawks, where things actually got worse.

There, Cam averaged 10.5 points per game his rookie season, but shot a poor 38.4% from the field and 33.2% from 3-point range.

He bounced around a bit from New York to Portland, where, similar to Atlanta, he was able to put up points in the opportunities he got, but struggled when it came to efficiency, playmaking, and on the defensive side of the ball.

In Reddish's time with the Knicks last season, Head Coach Tom Thibodeau dropped him from the rotation by early-December, signifying Reddish's need to find a new home.

Cam signed a 1-year deal with LA in July, and as a 6'8 score-first wing, he has tremendous upside. When asked about it, Lakers guard D'Angelo Russell had great things to say:

D’Angelo Russell on Cam Reddish: “I mean, he looks comfortable cams a guy he just needs a little push to see what he’s capable of. With a group of guys that we have in this locker room, I think it will continue to help him sustain what he’s working on.” #LakeShow pic.twitter.com/ABTciQUUMp
— Lauren Jones (@LoJoMedia) October 16, 2023

Evidently, the Lakers are a good spot for Reddish to be in when it comes to developing behind the scenes. With veteran leadership and a strong history of developing players well (Austin Reaves, Kyle Kuzma, Alex Caruso, Rui Hachimura, etc.), he has a real opportunity to learn from some of the greats.

The only obstacle to Reddish unlocking his upside is playing time. The Lakers are incredibly strong at wing, and have a number of valuable pieces that are all expected to be parts of the rotation, including LeBron, Taurean Prince, Rui Hachimura and Jarred Vanderbilt. This also excludes lineups that could feature 3 guards, which would indubitably push Reddish to the bench.

That said, with the number of injuries the Lakers unfortunately tend to face year over year, Reddish could definitely see some opportunities rise throughout the season. It's up to him to fully capitalize on them, however, but it's certainly a storyline to watch.

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