Lakers potentially trying to acquire this recent lottery pick
By Jason Reed
The Los Angeles Lakers have to do something before the 2022-23 season starts because with this roster, the team is not going anywhere. The depth is going to be a problem once again and of course, Russell Westbrook is still on the books.
There has been a lot of speculation about a Westbrook trade and it appears that the Lakers may have to pivot into something else, as a Kyrie Irving deal no longer seems likely. There are several different ways for the Lakers to pivot with most requiring the team to trade two first-round picks.
The cost of trading future picks could be softened if the Lakers get a young player in return in the package and that might be exactly what Rob Pelinka is trying to do. Los Angeles reportedly had conversations with the New York Knicks and Utah Jazz about being the third team in a Donovan Mitchell trade, which is something we foreshadowed here at Lake Show Life.
Among the players that the Lakers are interested in bringing to LA is 2019 lottery pick Cam Reddish. Mike Scotto of Hoops Hype reports that the Lakers have had interest in trading for Reddish and nearly did so last season in a three-team trade involving Talen Horton-Tucker.
Cam Reddish would be a smart flier by the Los Angeles Lakers.
Cam Reddish has not enjoyed a fantastic NBA career to this point and most people would probably say that the 10th-overall pick has been disappointing. However, there is still potential in his game and if the Lakers could acquire him it would be savvy.
The only way this is happening is if it is part of something bigger, like a three-team trade for Mitchell. The Lakers are not going to be able to send anything just for Cam Reddish. That is what makes it so great, though. Reddish would be viewed as a throwaway asset in the package that could blossom with LA’s player development.
The six-eight wing has a lot of potential as a two-way player in this league. He has always been a capable defender and could blossom further once the Lakers get their hands on him, especially with Anthony Davis.
Offensively Reddish has not been great at shooting the ball thus far in his career but the potential is certainly there. He may never be a top-tier elite three-point shooter but the Lakers could work on his craft and get him to be an average to above-average off-ball shooter.
Before being traded to the Knicks, who had some of the worst facilitating in the league with Derrick Rose hurt last season, Reddish was shooting 37.9% on 9.4 threes per game. While the number of shots is a bit high, if Reddish can shoot 38% from three on six threes per game it would be huge for Los Angeles.
The team does not have many other outlets to get young talent on the roster. With future picks potentially being traded, adding former lottery talents like Reddish is the way to go.