The New York Knicks and Atlanta Hawks made an eye-opening NBA trade on Thursday that sent Cam Reddish, Solomon Hill, and a second-round pick in 2025 to New York in exchange for Kevin Knox and a protected 2022 first-round pick (via the Charlotte Hornets).
Reddish is the headliner of the deal. The 6’8″ small forward was the 10th overall pick by the Hawks in the 2019 NBA Draft and — along with averaging a career-high 11.9 points — has improved significantly as a shooter in his third NBA season: career-highs in field-goal percentage at 40.2, free-throw percentage at 90.0, and three-point percentage at 37.9. The 22-year-old still has plenty of upside, and now he gets to play alongside former Duke teammate RJ Barrett (who went third overall in the same draft).
Well, it turns out that another major market franchise made a trade offer for Reddish.
According to Fred Katz and Chris Kirschner of The Athletic, the Los Angeles Lakers offered two second-round picks for Reddish. However, the Hawks believed they could get a first-rounder for Reddish, which they indeed were able to get in the trade with the Knicks.
Recently, The Athletic learned that the Lakers had offered two second-rounders for Reddish. Still, the Hawks believed a team would eventually offer the first-round pick they sought.
Additionally, Katz and Kirschner report that the Hawks had conversations about Reddish with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons, and Indiana Pacers “over the past several months.”
A Lakers acquisition of Reddish would’ve made plenty of sense in their position (21-21; eighth in the Western Conference): he offers some needed firepower offensively, and he’s still very young with the potential to be part of a long-term plan, putting aside the organization’s interest in winning now with LeBron James and Anthony Davis in place. So, Reddish could’ve been a worthwhile addition for both short and long-term thinking.
While the Lakers didn’t land Reddish, perhaps their trade offer is an indication that they’ll look to make a notable addition of some kind before the Feb. 10 trade deadline.
