Cam Reddish is quietly setting the tone other Lakers need to follow

When Cam Reddish was selected at No. 10 overall in the 2019 NBA Draft, the Atlanta Hawks were operating with an understandable vision. Coming out of high school, and even at times during his collegiate career, Reddish looked the part of a high-level scorer—upside the Los Angeles Lakers took a chance on in 2023.

The most unlikely development in Reddish's career is now setting the tone and standard for the Lakers at large, however, as he's become something of a defensive specialist.

Anthony Davis is appropriately heralded as the best defensive player on the Lakers, but Reddish has slotted into the No. 2 slot in that regard with Jarred Vanderbilt sidelined by injury. His effort and consistency have been unquestioned as he's taken on tough assignments without the guarantee of offensive reward.

According to Ron Gutterman of Lakers Nation, head coach JJ Redick praised Reddish for going all-in on defense despite the lack of plays being run for him on offense.

“I think it’s big on any team,” Redick said. “You need guys that buy in to being defensive-minded, that buy in to having to guard the other team’s best player every night with truthfully just no real offensive reward on the other end."

Redick continued, comparing how Reddish approaches the game to players such as OG Anunoby and Josh Hart.

“As a player, I think everybody’s first thought or motive is always gonna be offensively. Those guys are hard to find. Cam has been awesome for us. There’s certainly guys, like I think of Josh Hart or OG (Anunoby), those guys don’t necessarily get a lot of plays, they do a lot of things defensively but then within the constructs of their offense they’re able to get shots and score."

Reddish has been a revelation in 2024-25, playing with consistent energy on defense no matter what awaits him on offense—a trend other Lakers could stand to follow.

Cam Reddish sacrificing offense for defense should be a Lakers standard

Reddish made his name as a scorer throughout his playing career, but has accepted a mere 2.7 field goal attempts per game in 2024-25. The Lakers benefited immensely from his unselfish approach, as he's filled the otherwise unoccupied role of a consistent perimeter defender.

Reddish has provided physicality that the Lakers have often been without, which has thus opened the door for the team to experience improved play on both ends of the floor.

Unfortunately, Reddish appears to be the only perimeter player who has gotten the memo. The Lakers' perimeter defense has been impressive at times this season, but when it's been bad, it's been downright atrocious.

The Lakers rank No. 26 in the NBA in defensive rating, and the finger must be pointed at those who are unwilling to sacrifice on offense in the name of improved defense.

Los Angeles has been scoring at virtual will, ranking fourth in the NBA in offensive rating and eighth in field goal percentage. Its brilliance on offense has been all but entirely offset by how dreadful it's been on defense, however, and that's on the offensive-minded players as much as anyone else.

It'd be one thing to be in the middle of the pack due to the lack of a wing stopper, but it's another issue entirely when the problem is a general lack of interest and intensity.

Getting Vanderbilt back should help—immensely. One player can only do so much, however, and awaiting his return may be part of the problem. The Lakers need their playmakers to find a way to expend consistent effort on both ends of the floor, and not just when shots are available to them, let alone falling.

Changing that element of the Lakers' culture will be essential to head coach JJ Redick creating a defense that at least stops hemorrhaging points.