So How Will Cam Reddish Do With The Knicks?

Although rumors about the Atlanta Hawks trading Cam Reddish have swirled for what seems like forever, Wednesday’s deal with the New York Knicks seemed shockingly out of the blue.

Atlanta has a ton of talented young players and last year was a wonderful ride. This year though?

Not so much. The Hawks are 17-23 and there is reportedly some discord. And with Trae Young averaging 27.7 ppg currently, there’s not as much of a role for Reddish to grow into.

So starting over might be a good thing. How will he fit with the Knicks though?

Obviously the two most important players for New York are RJ Barrett and Julius Randle.

The thing about Reddish is that he’s immensely versatile. So he could take minutes from Derrick Rose, Quentin Grimes, Alec Burks, Evan Fournier, Obi Toppin or Taj Gibson. Maybe in some scenarios Randle too.

Obviously he’s not a point guard or a power player, but his defense, which will probably improve under Tom Thibodeau, will allow the Knicks to do things with him that the other guys may not be able to do. Just as a brief thought, imagine him guarding his old teammate Young. Could he shut him down? Maybe not. But a 6-9 defender can play off a bit too and presents some different challenges.

In a perfect world, he and Barrett would offer a pair of dynamic, versatile players who can anchor the team for a decade or more. It’s an interesting move and we can't wait to see what he does with New York.

• NBA Insider on how Cam Reddish will fit in Knicks’ rotation, other potential trade targets
• Bill Simmons Roasts Knicks After Cam Reddish Trade: “The Last Time The Knicks Fleeced Someone, I Think I Was In College.”