The Los Angeles Lakers are now 2-0 since head coach JJ Redick inserted Cam Reddish into the starting lineup in place of D’Angelo Russell. The change takes a lot of defensive pressure off Austin Reaves and LeBron James as Reddish can take on that role as the team’s primary defensive stopper while Russell gives the Lakers’ bench a much-needed offensive boost.
The returns have been great so far as Reddish’s ability as a perimeter defender have helped improve the team’s defense overall, not to mention his overall energy and fight is something the Lakers greatly need. And following the Lakers’ win over the Toronto Raptors, LeBron had a ton of praise for Reddish embracing his role.
“His energy. Just very selfless. Ability to defend on perimeter is very, very key for our ball club,” James said. “I mean, you know, like I said the other night, with Vando being out, it takes one of our primary perimeter guys, defenders that we know we can just key in on a certain matchup, and now we can be inserting back into the to the lineup, into the fray of things, we know we have that one guy on the perimeter. That’s okay. That’s your matchup tonight. Go make it tough on him. And Cam has taken on that responsibility.”
As LeBron pointed out, the Lakers are still without Jarred Vanderbilt, one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA period so they are in dire need of someone stepping up in that role and Reddish has fit the bill. But James also noted that Reddish brings more to the team than just defense.
“I mean, he’s more than that. And he showed that tonight,” LeBron added. “Getting a steal, getting a layup, finishing at the end of the third of a closeout. Finishing at the rim with that layup to give us a big boost, hitting some threes as well. So he’s more than a defender. But I think he’s smart enough to know him, what he means to this team, how he’s going to be on the floor. And we respect that, and we love that.”
Over the last three games, Reddish is averaging 9.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals while shooting 73.3% from the field and 66.7% from 3-point range. Obviously those numbers aren’t sustainable, but as the fifth offensive option in the starting lineup, all the Lakers need from Reddish is to take advantage of those opportunities while locking down defensively and he is doing just that.
Lakers’ Cam Reddish admits to having a realization about his career and role in NBA
It is a bit forgotten now but Cam Reddish was originally viewed primarily as a scorer and was one of the top prospects in his high school class, even being ranked above Zion Williamson. But that simply isn’t the role that has been thrust upon him in the NBA and Reddish admitted to having a realization about his career.
Reddish said that he just does whatever is asked of him and tries to be a star in his role, something he admitted wasn’t the case earlier in his career when he would just do whatever he wanted. When asked what caused this, the Lakers wing said being traded multiple times opened his eyes.
“I didn’t have much of an option. I kept getting traded. It is what it is,” Reddish admitted. “I just learned throughout those years. It’s a journey, man. Just like everybody else, it’s a journey. I’m just learning every day.”
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