Trade Analysis: Knicks Acquire Cam Reddish

New York made a low risk move that seems to have a big upside, but it may not be quite that simple.

Good morning (although I doubt you’re having as good a morning as Cam Reddish, who finally got his wish and is out of Atlanta. More on that in a bit). Today we’ll analyze the big trade and look forward to what comes next. But first, a game preview.

🏙 Game Night 🏀

Who: Knicks vs Hawks

When: 7:30 pm, Saturday night

Where: Atlanta

Who’s out: Kemba Walker, who has now missed seven consecutive games, is the last Knick sidelined…or at least, the last Knick who’s been on the roster for the entire season. Newly acquired Cam Reddish was sidelined with a sprained ankle in Atlanta’s last game, so we’ll see how quickly he recovers.

Halftime Zoom: Click here to enter!

What to look for: Aside from the Cam of it all, the Hawks have lost nine straight games in their home arena and have the third worst net rating in the NBA over their last 14 games. The Knicks, on the other hand, are 7-3 in their last 10 and appear to be finding their groove. Can you say “trap game”?

🗣 News & Notes ✍️

🏀 The Knicks made it official last night, acquiring Cam Reddish from the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for a protected Charlotte Hornets’ 1st round pick and Kevin Knox. New York also acquired Solomon Hill (who is likely out for the season and will probably be waived) and a 2025 Brooklyn 2nd rounder in the transaction.

First, the Hornets pick: this is the selection New York traded for on draft night in exchange for their own selection (the 19th overall). It is protected for selections 1-18 this season, 1-16 next season, and 1-14 in 2024 and 2025, after which it will convert to two seconds if not conveyed.

Next, Knox: What could have been. After his stint in Vegas for Summer League in 2018 and some early flashes that garnered him Rookie of the Month in December of that year, Knox’s career has gone into witness protection. After getting carte blanch to make mistake after mistake as a rookie, his second year was the polar opposite as the organization suddenly decided it wanted to hold the young lottery pick accountable, while at the same time refusing to send Knox to the G-League to work out his issues.

Was it their poor development that led to Knox teetering on the fringes of NBA relevance, or was he just not very good to begin with? Ultimately, his ability to stay on the court defensively will probably be the deciding factor in whether he ever makes good on the promise that got him drafted ahead of Mikal Bridges, Miles Bridges, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Michael Porter Jr. We wish him the best.