Building a team around LeBron James and Anthony Davis means the Los Angeles Lakers need to be able to nail on low-risk, veteran minimum players and it looked like they did just that in Cam Reddish.
Reddish, a former lottery pick, hadn’t made much of an impact in the NBA so he signed a two-year deal to join a Lakers team that desperately needed more athleticism and defense at the wing position. Reddish has shown flashes as a 3-and-D wing, but just hadn’t been able to put it all together at the professional level.
In Los Angeles, though, Reddish seemed to finally hit a groove as he was a quality perimeter defender who could knock down the occasional 3-pointer. Reddish started the 2023-24 season coming off the bench for former head coach Darvin Ham, but later got promoted to the starting lineup where he took on the assignment of guarding the opposing team’s best perimeter player.
Unfortunately for the Lakers and Reddish, the forward suffered a right ankle injury that forced him to miss a chunk of the regular season. Although Reddish was able to come back later in the year, he hardly resembled the same player he was and struggled to earn a role.
Overall, it was a disappointing first season for Reddish who ended up averaging 5.4 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 48 games.
2023-24 Highlight
Cam Reddish may have been more of an afterthought in the offense, but he had his best game in a narrow win against the Portland Trail Blazers. With no LeBron James available, Reddish stepped up and helped knock down shots whenever the team needed one.
He scored a season-high 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting, including 1-of-3 from distance. He added seven rebounds and two assists, but more importantly he filled up the defensive box score with three steals and and one block. It was the perfect game to showcase what Reddish could do when he lives up to his potential, though those games came far and few in between.
2024-25 Outlook
Reddish exercised his player option for the 2024-25 season and is projected to start the year on the roster, though the Lakers have been searching for ways to clear up roster spots. Reddish is a prime trade candidate because of he isn’t guaranteed a rotation spot and is set to make the minimum.
Los Angeles reportedly prefers to keep Jaxson Hayes over players like Christian Wood and Reddish, so the forward may not finish the year as a Laker.
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