Cam Reddish Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Knicks Notes: Randle, Offense, Reddish

October 23rd, 2022 at 7:53pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Knicks power forward Julius Randle has been enjoying a solid run as a play-maker for New York in this young NBA season, writes Ian Begley of SNY.tv. Reserve combo guard Derrick Rose appreciates the improvement.

“The way he’s reading the floor is totally different,” Rose raved. “His passing has been unbelievable. Understanding that we want to get up a certain amount of threes and he’s finding the shooters.”

With starting point guard Jalen Brunson function as the club’s primary passer, Randle has become a supplemental ball-handler among the starters, which appears to be a better fit for him.

There’s more out of New York:

Though Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau remains focused on the defense, the team is developing on the offensive side of the ball early in the season as well, writes Steve Popper of Newsday. The team has been significantly faster-paced and more pass-happy than last year’s incarnation, per Popper. New York is fifth in scoring and 17th in pace after ranking 29th in pace during the 2021/22 season. “It’s not just playing fast, and you don’t want to take reckless shots, but you got to move without the ball and you got to move with pace,” Thibodeau said. “And so, getting it up fast is the initial part, but creating the movement is the secondary part that’s equally important, and then when we put it down and we drive the ball, attack the rim.”
Knicks forward Cam Reddish, who will be a restricted free agent this summer, has enjoyed a stellar start to his fourth NBA season. His effort in practice could be a key factor in his play so far, per Zach Braziller of The New York Post. “It’s what a guy does in practice every day,” Thibodeau said of Reddish’s performative improvement. “Usually, if you practice well, you’re gonna play well.. He’s gotten a lot better offensively and defensively… And a big part of that is, I think, him getting comfortable with his teammates, his teammates getting comfortable with him. His attitude’s been great. Just keep working.”

Atlantic Notes: Grimes, Reddish, J. Harris, Harden, Sixers

October 21st, 2022 at 10:02am CST by Luke Adams

After Knicks guard Quentin Grimes aggravated his left foot injury during last Friday’s preseason finale, the team doesn’t intend to bring him back until he’s fully pain-free in that foot and not at risk of re-aggravating the injury, writes Ian Begley of SNY.tv.

“He’s got to be able to sustain it,” Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau said. “So if he ramps it up and there’s anything there, it’s basically day-to-day. So just follow the protocol and plan that the trainers have laid out.”

With Grimes out of the rotation, Cam Reddish got an opportunity to play a bigger role in the Knicks’ opener on Wednesday and took full advantage, scoring 22 points off the bench, as Begley details in another SNY.tv. story. It was hugely important performance for Reddish, who is in a contract year and didn’t impress in the preseason.

As Begley observes, Reddish will presumably be given an opportunity to solidify a rotation spot for as long as Grimes remains out. If Reddish continues to play well and Grimes is cleared to play, it will be interesting to see whose rotation spot might be at risk, since the Knicks won’t want to sit Grimes, a Thibodeau favorite.

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

Nets sharpshooter Joe Harris will be available on Friday for the first time in nearly a year. Harris, who underwent two ankle surgeries last season and missed this season’s opener due to foot soreness, said he’ll play tonight after being listed as probable, tweets Brian Lewis of The New York Post. The veteran forward last played a regular season game on November 14, 2021.
After a “workaholic” summer in the gym, Sixers star James Harden feels rejuvenated, he told reporters on Thursday, per Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Hampered by a hamstring issue last season, Harden has looked like his old self after signing a new contract with Philadelphia this summer, averaging 33.0 PPG, 8.0 APG, and 8.0 RPG on 57.9% shooting in two games against tough defenses (Boston and Milwaukee).
As expected, Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin has sold his 10% stake in the Sixers, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, who says that 76 Devcorp chairman David Adelman bought a “substantial” share of that stake. Adelman’s real estate development company is working on a plan to build a new 76ers arena in downtown Philadelphia, Wojnarowski adds.

No Extensions For Grant Williams, Cam Johnson, Others

October 17th, 2022 at 6:15pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Several notable fourth-year NBA players who were eligible for rookie scale contract extension agreements did not come to terms with their current clubs, and will now enter restricted free agency next summer with the extension deadline having passed.

Adrian Wojnarowksi of ESPN reports (via Twitter) that newly-promoted Suns starting power forward Cameron Johnson, Hornets forward P.J. Washington, and Celtics forward Grant Williams all failed to reach extension deals with their respective clubs.

With former Phoenix starting four Jae Crowder demanding his way out of town, it would have perhaps behooved the Suns to lock up Johnson to a long-term deal, but the team’s ownership situation could have made figuring out an agreement difficult. Williams had an erratic postseason for Boston during the team’s Finals run. Washington could get some additional run this season with the availability of forward Miles Bridges up in the air.

A source informs Christian Clark of NOLA.com (Twitter link) that Pelicans center Jaxson Hayes did not ultimately reach an agreement on a contract extension with New Orleans. Clark suggested that Hayes and his team would most likely resume negotiations when the big man reaches restricted free agency next summer, so it appears New Orleans does hope to keep him aboard.

Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports tweets that Sixers swingman Matisse Thybulle similarly did not agree to an extension with Philadelphia, and is now set to reach restricted free agency in the summer of 2023. Thybulle is a terrific perimeter defender, but his offensive limitations impede his value.

Even though Wizards GM Tommy Sheppard and head coach Wes Unseld Jr. gave him positive preseason performance reviews, forward Rui Hachimura also will now enter restricted free agency in the 2023 offseason, reports Ava Wallace of The Washington Post (Twitter link).

Knicks forward Cam Reddish, the tenth pick in the 2019 draft, did not get an extension from New York, his second NBA team, The Athletic’s Fred Katz reports (via Twitter). Katz notes that an agreement was not anticipated. Reddish struggled to carve out rotation minutes when the Hawks traded him to the Knicks, even though the team was clearly lottery-bound near the end of the 2021/22 season.

Tony Jones of The Athletic (Twitter link). reports that, in another anticipated move, combo guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker did not reach an extension agreement with the Jazz.

Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports Chicago writes that the Bulls also opted to not extend reserve guard Coby White, the seventh pick in the 2019 draft. Schaefer notes that, though Chicago considered trade offers for the 22-year-old out of UNC, the team eventually decided to not move him.

White will compete for minutes in a crowded backcourt that includes starting point guard Ayo Dosunmu and starting shooting guard Zach LaVine, plus reserves Alex Caruso and Goran Dragic. If Lonzo Ball returns from a recent knee surgery, he would supplant Dosunmu in the starting lineup, and further dilute White’s minutes load.

Here’s the full list of players eligible for rookie scale extensions who didn’t sign new deals before Monday’s 5:00 pm CT deadline:

Nickeil Alexander-Walker (Jazz)
Darius Bazley (Thunder)
Goga Bitadze (Pacers)
Rui Hachimura (Wizards)
Jaxson Hayes (Pelicans)
Cameron Johnson (Suns)
Romeo Langford (Spurs)
Cam Reddish (Knicks)
Matisse Thybulle (Sixers)
P.J. Washington (Hornets)
Coby White (Bulls)
Grant Williams (Celtics)
Dylan Windler (Cavaliers)

Extension-eligible veterans on expiring contracts remain eligible to sign new contracts throughout the season, while extension-eligible vets with multiple years left on their contracts can extend their deals up until 10:59 pm CT tonight.

Though the roster deadline has passed and every team is in compliance, that doesn’t mean there will be no additional moves tonight and tomorrow before the games begin. That said, in general, team rosters are set with the 2022/23 season set to tip off on Tuesday.

Luke Adams contributed to this report.

Extension Rumors: Thybulle, G. Williams, Reddish

October 16th, 2022 at 3:17pm CST by Luke Adams

The Sixers have recently had “brief” conversations with Matisse Thybulle‘s agent Aaron Goodwin about a possible rookie scale extension for the All-Defensive wing, reports Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. The deadline for teams to sign players to rookie scale extensions is Monday at 5:00 pm Central time.

Thybulle’s defensive talent makes him a potentially intriguing long-term building block, but his limited contributions on offense reduce his value and raise questions about whether the Sixers would be comfortable making a long-term commitment to him.

According to Haynes, Thybulle spent the offseason working on improving and expanding his offensive game. Still, the Sixers may want another season to assess whether or not they think the 25-year-old can become an average or above-average offensive player. He’d be eligible for restricted free agency next summer if he doesn’t sign a new deal by Monday’s deadline.

Here are a couple more updates related to possible rookie scale extensions:

As of Saturday, the Celtics and Grant Williams remained at an impasse in their contract extension negotiations, sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. According to Scotto, Williams would likely be willing to accept a deal in the range of $14-15MM per year, but it’s unclear if Boston is prepared to go that high. Scotto’s report is right in line with what we heard on Williams from Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe on Thursday.
Knicks forward Cam Reddish won’t sign an extension before Monday’s deadline, a source tells Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News (Twitter link). That’s hardly shocking news, since it remains to be seen whether Reddish will even have a regular rotation role in New York this season, let alone a long-term future with the franchise.
In addition to Thybulle, Williams, and Reddish, there are 14 other players still eligible for rookie scale extensions. The full list can be found right here. In case you missed it, our Rory Maher specifically examined what new deals might look like for Suns sharpshooter Cameron Johnson (link), Hawks wing De’Andre Hunter (link), and Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke (link).

Knicks Notes: Brunson, Randle, Robinson, Reddish

October 7th, 2022 at 6:54pm CST by Rory Maher

Guard Jalen Brunson is already making an impact on the Knicks both on and off the court, writes Ian Begley of SNY.tv. Brunson was New York’s primary free agency target, inking him to a four-year, $104MM deal.

“I love the way he can control and manage a game,” head coach Tom Thibodeau said after Brunson scored 16 points (7-for-9 shooting) and handed out five assists on Tuesday. “To me, that’s the No. 1 function of a point guard. So he doesn’t get sped up, he doesn’t get rattled. I love the way, Julius (Randle) the third quarter, that was terrific. So I think it’s a calming influence.”

According to Begley, Brunson has begun connecting with the team’s younger players, giving advice and spending extra hours with them in the gym. He’s been shooting with Immanuel Quickley at night, and Quickley calls him an “encouraging presence,” per Begley.

“He’s tremendous. From the moment he signed, just being in the gym everyday. He’s not a rah rah type guy (as a leader),” Thibodeau said. “He just does all the right things and when he gets out there, he’s ready to execute.”

Here’s more on the Knicks:

Thibodeau isn’t the only member of the Knicks praising Brunson. Power forward Julius Randle recently raved about his new teammate, as Peter Botte of The New York Post relays. “He just makes the game easy,” Randle said of Brunson after Thursday’s practice. “I’ve said it all the time, he’s such a smart player. He understands the rhythm and flow of the game, how to look for guys in certain situations, how to go get his own, so he’s a really good player. He’s a basketball player. I think you can put him anywhere and he will play really well, just because he understands the game so well.”
After re-signing with the Knicks on a four-year, $60MM deal, center Mitchell Robinson is poised for a big fifth season, Botte writes for The New York Post. “I think the athleticism is special, but I also think the strength component, when he added that piece to it, he can take a hit and get through that. He’s shown that,” Thibodeau said of Robinson. “But I think a lot of other areas of his game have improved also — the rim protection, that part is obvious. But I think he’s starting to grow now offensively.”
Cam Reddish should receive minutes in the preseason as the Knicks evaluate the fourth-year wing, Begley notes in another article for SNY.tv. Quentin Grimes is dealing with foot soreness and the team is being cautious with Evan Fournier after a silver medal run with France at EuroBasket, creating an opening for Reddish. The 23-year-old suffered a sprained ankle in Tuesday’s preseason opener and didn’t return (Twitter link), but he’s starting on Friday night, Begley tweets.

Knicks Notes: Reddish, Toppin, Barrett, SG, Barrett

September 29th, 2022 at 2:27pm CST by Rory Maher

Knicks wing Cam Reddish says he didn’t request a trade this offseason, according to Fred Katz of The Athletic (Twitter links), who points out that Marc Berman of The New York Post didn’t actually report that Reddish requested a trade, only that the 23-year-old preferred a change of scenery and a chance for a “bigger opportunity.”

That might seem like semantics, but there’s definitely a distinction between formally requesting a trade and what a player’s preference might be. Reddish only appeared in 15 games for the Knicks after they traded for him last season, averaging just 14.3 minutes per contest. When asked if the Knicks have made it clear what he needs to do to receive regular playing time, Reddish admits he isn’t sure.

“I’m still figuring that out. That’s actually a really good question,” Reddish said, per Ethan Sears of The New York Post. “I’m still figuring that out, trying to find my role where I fit in. I’m really willing to do whatever it takes to win. Whatever that role is, whatever it may be, that’s fine with me. We’re winning, we all look good.”

Considering his lack of a clear rotation role, Reddish was then asked if he wanted to stay with the Knicks, but gave a non-answer.

“I control what I can control,” he said. “So minutes and all that stuff have nothing to do with me. I just come in and do my job. Work as hard as I can every single day. I’m available, I’m healthy. So whatever happens, happens.”

For his part, head coach Tom Thibodeau was noncommittal about Reddish’s role, as Ian Begley of SNY.tv relays.

“The players are going to earn what they get. We have good depth (at wing). I can’t tell you right now who’s in the rotation, who’s not in the rotation,” Thibodeau said on Wednesday when asked if he thinks Reddish will be in the rotation this season. “That’ll be earned. And then if someone’s not in the rotation initially, doesn’t mean that they stay there.”

If he doesn’t receive a rookie scale extension before next month’s deadline, Reddish will be a restricted free agent in 2023 if the Knicks issue a qualifying offer.

Here’s more on the Knicks:

Third-year forward Obi Toppin spent the offseason working on his jump shot and defense, Sears writes in another article for The New York Post. Toppin says he feels better about his perimeter defense heading into 2022/23. “Guarding guards like Jalen [Brunson], for instance, in pickup games here or guarding guards like Coby White in L.A. … helped me a lot,” Toppin said. “I feel like even if I can’t get down low, I have to find a way to stay in front of them, still contest their shots and make it hard for them to do things. I feel like I worked on that this summer and I’m a lot better now.”
Thibodeau didn’t sound enthusiastic about having Toppin and Julius Randle share the frontcourt at times, Begley notes. The Knicks will “take a look” at the pairing during preseason, according to Thibodeau, who says the duo hasn’t been effective in practices over the past two years. As Begley observes, if Toppin and Randle don’t play much together, an increase in Toppin’s minutes will likely have to come at Randle’s expense — Randle has averaged 36.4 minutes per night over the past two seasons.
Zach Braziller of The New York Post (members-only link) explores the pros and cons of who should start at shooting guard between Evan Fournier and Quentin Grimes. Braziller ultimately concludes that Grimes is the better fit due to his defense and upside, though he understands why Thibodeau values Fournier’s outside shooting and experience. Thibodeau considers Fournier the frontrunner for the job. Both players sat out today’s practice, per Begley (Twitter links). Grimes is considered day-to-day with left foot soreness, while Fournier has soreness after competing at EuroBasket. Neither issue is considered major.
RJ Barrett showcased his ability get into the paint last season, but he needs to improve his finishing to take his game to the next level, Katz writes for The Athletic. Out of 44 qualifying players who took five-plus shots at the rim in ’21/22, Barrett ranked last in field goal percentage, Katz notes. According to DunksAndThrees.com, Barrett shot just 52% at the rim last season, which ranked in the ninth percentile of all players.

Atlantic Notes: Grimes, Toppin, Celtics, Warren

September 21st, 2022 at 8:18pm CST by Arthur Hill

Second-year guard Quentin Grimes could replace Evan Fournier in the Knicks‘ starting lineup, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv. When New York signed Jalen Brunson this summer, there were concerns that he and Fournier might not provide enough defense as a backcourt combination.

Begley states that starting Grimes as the shooting guard and having Fournier come off the bench was among several scenarios discussed by Knicks management this summer. Another option the team considered is moving RJ Barrett into the backcourt and giving Cam Reddish a chance to start at small forward.

Although Fournier would be an expensive reserve, Begley doesn’t believe New York should try to trade him. Begley notes that the Knicks need all the shooters they can get, which is why they signed Svi Mykhailiuk earlier this week.

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Members of the Knicks‘ coaching staff believe Obi Toppin could see an increased role, Begley adds in the same piece. Toppin showed progress during his second NBA season and could become a starter if New York finds a taker for Julius Randle.
Despite some speculation to the contrary, Jay King of the Athletic hears that the Celtics don’t plan to reach out to a veteran big man to help replace Robert Williams (Twitter link). Sources tell King that the roster spot that formerly belonged to Bruno Caboclo will likely go to another young center or power forward. Williams will undergo arthroscopic surgery and is projected to miss four to six weeks.
Surgeries for both Williams and Danilo Gallinari have been scheduled for Thursday, tweets Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens called Williams’ injury “short term.”
T.J. Warren could be the Nets‘ leading scorer off the bench if he can overcome the foot problems that have plagued him for the past two seasons, Alex Schiffer of The Athletic writes in an overview of Brooklyn’s roster. Warren averaged 19.8 points per game and shot 40.3% from three-point range during his last healthy season. Schiffer believes the team is strong everywhere but center, and he points to Dwight Howard as a potential low-cost addition who could provide experience in the middle.

Knicks Notes: Reddish, Barrett, Mitchell

September 2nd, 2022 at 12:15pm CST by Luke Adams

Following up on a Marc Berman report from Thursday, Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News confirms that Knicks forward Cam Reddish would like a change of scenery.

“It’s clear Cam has no place (with the Knicks),” Bondy’s source said, adding that the former lottery pick would prefer to be relocated.

After Berman published his report on Thursday, Reddish responded to an Instagram comment claiming that he requested a trade and seemingly disputed that notion: “When I do that? Y’all be trippin.”

Still, as Bondy observes (via Twitter), wanting a change of scenery and formally requesting a trade are two different things. Even if Reddish hasn’t done the latter, we now have multiple reports suggesting he’s hoping for the former.

Here’s more on the Knicks:

RJ Barrett‘s new four-year extension with New York has a standard rising structure, starting at about $23.9MM in 2023/24 and increasing to $29.6MM by the fourth year, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks. According to Marks, Barrett will have $3MM in annual incentives — $1MM apiece for making an All-Star, All-NBA, and All-Defensive team.
On his latest Hoop Collective podcast, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst claimed that the Knicks’ decision to halt Mitchell trade talks earlier this week and sign Barrett to an extension “created an incredible amount of animus” between the Knicks and Jazz (hat tip to RealGM). Barrett’s new deal complicated the salary-matching possibilities between the Knicks and Jazz due to the poison pill provision, and would’ve forced the two teams to reset their negotiations.
The Knicks planned to continue pursuing Donovan Mitchell after agreeing on Monday to extend Barrett, but the Jazz began on Tuesday to focus on their discussions with the Cavaliers and never circled back to the Knicks before agreeing to a deal with Cleveland, says ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report argues that the Knicks were wise to resist meeting Utah’s asking price for Mitchell, calling it a “disciplined” decision not to push so many of their chips into the middle of the table. Not everyone was as enthusiastic about New York’s decision though. “Who are they saving their picks for?” one player agent said to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report. “(The Knicks) don’t really have the patience to build through the draft. Are they getting someone better than Donovan?”
In case you missed it, we passed along several reports earlier today on what the Knicks had been offering for Mitchell.

Knicks’ Reddish Seeking Change Of Scenery?

September 1st, 2022 at 10:40am CST by Luke Adams

Knicks forward Cam Reddish would prefer a change of scenery, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post, who hears from a league source that Reddish is seeking a larger role after seeing irregular minutes with the team last season.

Reddish, who was traded from Atlanta to New York in January in exchange for a heavily protected first-round pick, only appeared in three of his first 11 games with the club, logging 21 total minutes during that time as he returned from an ankle injury.

Reddish began to see the court more regularly in February when Quentin Grimes went down with an injury and Kemba Walker reached an agreement to sit out the rest of the season. However, the former Duke Blue Devil suffered a separated shoulder on March 7, prematurely ending his season. In total, Reddish averaged 6.1 PPG on .415/.258/.906 shooting in 15 games (14.3 MPG) for the Knicks.

A full offseason with the Knicks could theoretically pave the way for Reddish, who is celebrating his 23rd birthday today, to earn a more significant role in 2022/23. But he has been mentioned in some trade rumors this offseason, and Berman’s source is skeptical that Tom Thibodeau envisions the forward as an important piece in New York’s rotation.

“The Knicks didn’t have a plan for him,” the source told The Post. “They traded for him without one and still don’t have one. He would like a bigger opportunity somewhere.”

The Lakers reportedly explored the possibility of acquiring Reddish prior to the February trade deadline, and have been mentioned again this summer as a possible suitor.

If the Klutch Sports client ends up in Los Angeles, it might be as a small part of a bigger three-team deal that sends Russell Westbrook to Utah and Donovan Mitchell to New York. It’s also possible that Reddish could be traded to Utah as part of a package for Mitchell, but Berman says there’s no indication the Jazz are targeting the former 10th overall pick.

Reddish also reportedly sought a change of scenery out of Atlanta before being dealt to the Knicks. His minutes per game had dipped to 23.4 MPG with the Hawks in 2021/22 prior to the trade, a step down from the 28.8 MPG he averaged in ’20/21. Following the trade, he expressed a belief that he could become a “legit star,” but for now he’ll just have to prove that he can be a reliable rotation player.

RJ Barrett Hasn’t Been “Ruled Out” Of Donovan Mitchell Trade

August 30th, 2022 at 4:41pm CST by Rory Maher

Despite an agreement on a lucrative extension and significant complications from the “poison pill provision,” sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (video link via The Rally) that Knicks wing RJ Barrett could still be offered in a trade for Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell.

“It’s not expected that he is going to be ruled out of any potential trade, and I’m told through various sources that RJ Barrett could very well end up being in a potential deal and being in offers depending on the framework of a deal,” Charania said.

According to Charania, New York’s latest offer for Mitchell included Barrett and two unprotected first-round picks, but the Jazz wanted more in return for the three-time All-Star, so the Knicks wound up giving Barrett an extension.

As we outline in our glossary entry, a player who signs a rookie scale extension but remains on his rookie contract has different outgoing and incoming salary-matching figures, which is referred to as a “poison pill” — in Barrett’s case, the gap between his outgoing and incoming figures will reportedly exceed $15MM. That would make it extremely challenging for both the Knicks and Jazz to send out and take back a legal amount of salary if Barrett is part of a package for Mitchell.

As Charania notes, the Knicks still have other assets to include in a deal that doesn’t involve Barrett, with the Jazz reportedly prioritizing landing as many unprotected first-rounders as possible. New York remains “hopeful” that it can still land Mitchell without including Barrett, and wouldn’t have extended him if the team thought it would nix a potential deal, a source tells Marc Berman of The New York Post.

According to Berman, the Lakers are “open to discussions” about a potential three-team trade, and still have interest in Knicks wing Cam Reddish, who received scant playing time after being acquired from Atlanta in January. Charania previously reported that the Lakers are also interested in Jazz forward Bojan Bogdanovic.

Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News reports (Twitter links) that Barrett’s extension is a straight four-year deal with no options and includes $107MM in guaranteed money. Barrett could earn as much as $120MM from incentives, but he’ll still be making an average of $26.75MM per season from 2023-27.