3 ways Knicks could have handled the Cam Reddish situation better

The New York Knicks will likely be making multiple trades over the upcoming weeks as they look to get out of a recent rough patch after starting the season off strong.

One of these upcoming moves will almost certainly be trading forward Cam Reddish, as the 23-year-old has been a healthy scratch since early December.

It seems shocking to many that New York’s front office has given up on Reddish so quickly, having only played 35 games as a Knick since he was acquired from the Atlanta Hawks for a protected first-round pick last season.

It’s worth examining how things fell apart, and how they might have handled it differently.

How the Knicks could have maximized Cam Reddish’s potential

3: Guaranteeing him a rotation spot right away

Head coach Tom Thibodeau’s rotations in the second half of last season were truly mystifying for several reasons. The most prominent being Immanuel Quickley, who never got a chance to start at point guard even after the Knicks were eliminated from playoff contention. Veteran forward Alec Burks, who is no longer on the team, ended up starting 23 games at point guard to close out the season instead.

However, Reddish was also buried in Thibodeau’s rotation immediately upon his arrival in New York. He fought for minutes with Quentin Grimes and Evan Fournier before ultimately suffering a shoulder injury that ended his season.

He averaged just 14.3 minutes after the trade, over nine minutes per game less than what he was averaging in Atlanta when he asked to be moved.

It’s often difficult for players to find their scoring rhythm when switching teams midseason, but it’s especially tough when given sporadic minutes on a new team.

2: Giving him a larger role within the offense

Reddish finally received consistent minutes at the beginning of this season, and even earned the starting small forward spot once it became clear that Evan Fournier couldn’t handle opponents on defense.

He averaged 9.3 points in just over 23 minutes per game on respectable 45-33-89 shooting splits. His efficiency was the highest of his career, but his scoring totals still weren’t at the level most would expect. This is due to Reddish essentially being pigeonholed as a spot-up shooter within New York’s offense, with almost no opportunity to create his own looks.

His usage rate of 16% this season is the lowest of his career, while 75% of his two-point field goals and just over 94% of his three-pointers have come off assists this year, the two highest marks of his career.

While this type of approach may work for players such as Evan Fournier and Quentin Grimes, who are good shooters but can struggle if asked to create off the dribble too much, Reddish has had success with the ball in his hands.

He’s shooting an even 50% on drives this year, the third-best mark on the team. The former Duke standout has used an array of crossover dribbles to get to the rim, finishing around the outstretched arms of defenders with his seven-foot-one wingspan.

Scoring variety has been Reddish’s bread and butter since he was in high school, so it’s odd that he was never given more opportunities to have plays run for him.

1: Have the front office and coach be on the same page

It has been widely reported that Tom Thibodeau was opposed to the Reddish trade, but Team President Leon Rose did it anyway. This itself is not a bad thing, disagreements happen between coaches and executives on every team.

However, the issue lies with the post-trade environment. Reddish was clearly third in Thibodeau’s pecking order behind Grimes and Fournier, fourth if you include Burks although he was mainly playing point guard.

Even this season when Reddish got hurt and lost his starting job he was never given a chance to claim it back. He played four games off the bench upon returning from injury and has been a healthy scratch ever since as the team is almost certainly attempting to trade him.

When the Knicks’ rotation was decimated by injuries, Reddish remained glued to the bench while Fournier and Derrick Rose received opportunities to get some playing time.

Reddish submitted his trade request in Atlanta so that he could get a larger opportunity elsewhere, so it’s puzzling that the Knicks would acquire him just to play him in a smaller role. Eventually, not playing him at all.

This shows a clear lack of communication between the front office and the head coach, with the front office caving into the coach’s decision almost instantly about a player that they traded a first-round pick for.

While the Knicks may be able to get something of value for Reddish, it’s hard to imagine that they’ll bring back a protected first for his services.

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