Since the start of the 2021-22 NBA season, rumors have been continuously swirling around former Duke Blue Devils small forward Cam Reddish and his future with the Atlanta Hawks. After being demoted to the bench, there were growing speculations about Reddish's unhappiness with his role with the Hawks. Reddish might have somehow established an impressive performance off the bench but with the logjam in the Hawks' wing, most people were highly expecting him to be traded before the 2022 NBA trade deadline.
Knicks Trading Kevin Knox & 2022 1st-Rounder To Hawks For Cam Reddish
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Hawks Find A New Home For Cam Reddish
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Less than a month before the 2022 NBA trade deadline, the Hawks have finally found Reddish a new home. Recently, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported that the Hawks have agreed to trade Reddish to the New York Knicks.
"The New York Knicks are acquiring forward Cam Reddish in a trade with the Atlanta Hawks, sources told ESPN on Thursday," Wojnarowski wrote. "The Knicks are sending forward Kevin Knox II and a 2022 first-round draft pick via the Charlotte Hornets to the Hawks for Reddish, Solomon Hill and a 2025 second-round pick, sources said."
Parting Ways Makes Sense For Cam Reddish & Hawks
Trading Reddish to the Knicks makes a lot of sense for the Hawks, especially with the emergence of other talented wingmen such as De'Andre Hunter and Kevin Huerter in Atlanta. Aside from helping them address their crowded wing, the Hawks would also no longer need to think about giving Reddish a contract extension last summer.
Starting a new journey with the Knicks also benefits Reddish. Playing for a team that could give him more playing time and a significant role on the offensive end of the floor could speed up his development into a legitimate superstar in the league.
Cam Reddish Reunites With RJ Barrett
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Reddish won't have a hard time making himself comfortable with the Knicks since he would be teaming up with a familiar face in New York in RJ Barrett, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. Like Reddish, Barrett was also a former player of the Duke Blue Devils. In their lone year of playing together in college, Reddish and Barrett helped the Devils earn the No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.
Unfortunately, despite being the heavy favorites to win the national championship, the Devils fell into the hands of Michigan State Spartans in the Elite Eight.
Hawks Get First-Round Pick
With the logjam in their wing, Knox isn't expected to receive a significant role in Atlanta. The biggest prize that the Hawks actually got from trading Reddish to the Knicks is the 2022 first-round pick owned by the Charlotte Hornets. Though the pick is protected until 2025, it's still a valuable acquisition for the Hawks.
As Wojnarowski noted, the Hawks could use the Hornets' first-round pick as a potential trade chip that would help them improve their roster around Trae Young before the 2022 NBA trade deadline.
