3 Lakers on Thin Ice After the NBA Draft
3. Cam Reddish, SG/SF
With Knecht and James joining the Lakers' ranks, any potential of Cam Reddish re-signing with the franchise is likely out the door. It's hard to imagine how far he has fallen since he was taken 10th overall by the Atlanta Hawks in 2019, but here we are.
The 24-year-old's lone season with the Lakers was among the worst of his five-year career as he averaged 5.4 points, 2.1 rebounds, 1.0 assists, and 1.0 steals with a 38.9 FG% and 33.6 3P% across 48 games. He consistently disappeared for long stretches, proven by his finishing with zero points in eight of his last 12 games. The fact that an ankle injury held him out of the entire postseason doesn't help his outlook.
After his forgettable performance, Reddish will likely take his $2.4 million player option this offseason. That doesn't guarantee that he'll remain in Los Angeles, though. The Lakers can easily decide that they didn't like what they saw and either try to trade Reddish or buy him out. There just wasn't enough about his 2023-24 showing to warrant a second look.
With Knecht in the fold and Maxwell Lewis having another year under his belt, the Lakers should move on from Reddish this summer. Even if neither of the duo is ready, they can easily add another veteran wing on a minimum deal through free agency.