The New York Knicks are trading for Atlanta Hawks forward Cam Reddish, ending weeks of trade rumors surrounding the former first-round draft pick.
The Knicks are sending Kevin Knox and a protected first-round draft pick via Charlotte to Atlanta, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Reddish struggled to find playing time in Atlanta
The 22-year-old Reddish is averaging a career-high 11.9 points per game in his third season in the league, all with the Hawks. That number comes despite the fact that Reddish has struggled to maintain a regular role in Atlanta’s rotation. He’s playing a career-low 23.4 minutes per game this season, despite the fact that he’s shooting at the highest percentage of his career.
Reddish has particularly improved his three-point shooting. Last season, the small forward shot just 26.2% from behind the arc. He’s raised that number to 37.9% so far this year.
While the struggling Knicks are looking to bolster their roster, this is far from a rental. SNY reported that the Knicks will look to resign Reddish, likely giving him an extension in the range of $18-to-$20 million per year.
In exchange, the Hawks pick up Knox, a 22-year-old who was a first-round draft pick out of Kentucky in 2018. Knox impressed in his rookie season, but has seen less and less playing time since then. This year, he’s appeared in only 13 games, averaging just 3.6 points when he’s seen the court.
Still, Knox remains young enough and potentially talented enough to command interest from teams around the NBA. The Knicks have been trying to trade the forward for a first-round draft pick, though getting a useful young player like Reddish may be just as valuable.
Sportsbooks shrug at trade news
In addition, the Knicks will also pick up forward Solomon Hill in the deal. The 30-year-old power forward suffered a right hamstring tendon tear in December that will keep him out of action for the remainder of the season. New York also received a 2025 second-round draft pick via the Brooklyn Nets.
The Knicks find themselves mired in 11th place in the Eastern Conference with a 21-21 record, despite preseason hopes of landing a solid playoff seed. New York was in a similar position at this time last season when a trade for Derrick Rose sparked a run to the playoffs. The team may be looking for a similar jolt by introducing Reddish this year.
Sportsbooks are less than impressed by the move, especially when it comes to New York’s long shot odds of winning a title this season.
The Knicks have traded for Cam Reddish.. Updated odds for the Knicks to win the NBA Championship 👀
Before the trade: 120/1
After the trade: 120/1 pic.twitter.com/tMlzLenkKK— FanDuel Sportsbook (@FDSportsbook) January 13, 2022
FanDuel Sportsbook tweeted a mocking odds update after news of the trade broke. As the oddsmaker noted, the Knicks were a +12000 pick to win the NBA Championship before the trade – and stayed at +12000 after the deal. The Hawks (17-23) boast better odds at +4600, despite Atlanta’s disappointing season so far.
