Vincent Carchietta, USA TODAY
Should Spurs Pursue Trade with Knicks for Cam Reddish?
The San Antonio Spurs are currently focused on rebuilding after trading Dejounte Murray to the Atlanta Hawks earlier this offseason. A great method of furthering those efforts is to take a chance on young players.
With no shortage of young players already on the Spurs roster, the team would need to be intrigued by the ceiling of an individual to acquire another one. It's difficult to find impactful wings, making Cam Reddish undoubtedly worth the risk.
Reddish was selected No. 10 overall in the 2019 NBA Draft, he's averaged just 10.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.3 assists during 133 career regular season performances. He's shot just 38.7 percent from the floor and 32.5 percent from deep.
Some of Reddish's top performances are prime displays of his potential. He has a smooth handle and a high-level shooting ability. It has kept many around the NBA intrigued by his long-term potential as a player.
Reddish sought a greater opportunity by requesting a trade from the Atlanta Hawks after 3.5 seasons with the organization. He was dealt to the New York Knicks midseason but never managed to become favored by coach Tom Thibodeau.
The Knicks provided Reddish with a smaller role than what he had with the Hawks. He averaged just 14.3 minutes per game in 15 appearances since being traded to New York, which was by far a season-low for any of his stints.
Perhaps the most notable moment of Reddish's career so far was the Game 6 display he had against the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals. He scored a team-high 21 points while shooting 7-12 overall and 6-7 from 3-point range.
Reddish also had pulled off a pair of 30-point performances with 16 games reaching the 20-point threshold. When things are clicking, he has an effective stepback from deep and a smooth ability to get to the rim. All while being an established, all-around spot-up threat.
In a trade speculation piece, NBA Analysis Network recently included the Spurs in part of a three-trade series of trade scenarios involving Reddish. It was about as straight forward as it comes in terms of a proposal given it's as straight-up swap.
New York Knicks Receive: G/F Romeo Langford
San Antonio Spurs Receive: G/F Cam Reddish
If the cost to acquire Reddish would be to include Langford without draft capital, it would be a simple decision to make. At 6-foot-5, he's largely limited to the shooting guard position. There's already an abundance of unproven talent that fits the same mold on the Spurs' roster.
Langford has yet to prove any actual tangible strengths at the NBA level so far in his career. Despite being selected No. 14 overall in the 2019 NBA Draft, he has only appeared in 98 games in his career. The results have been underwhelming when he's seen the floor.
When comparing skill-sets, Reddish is a far more efficient catch-and-shoot threat with a higher upside overall. He's also 6-foot-8 with a 7-foot-1 wingspan, so he can play multiple positions out on the wing in ways that Langford cannot.
One of the factors to pay close attention to with Reddish is that he will soon reach restricted free agency. He is set to earn $5.95 million during the 2022-23 season in what will be the final year of his rookie contract. It will be in his best interest to have a strong season to earn his next contract.
With Reddish being limited in his role early in his NBA career, he would have the greatest chance to showcase his abilities he's faced. There isn't a clear-cut, proven shot creator in the Spurs' offense, so Reddish showing dynamic traits would be needed.
You can follow Grant Afseth on Twitter at @GrantAfseth.
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