Cam Reddish Should Remain Part Of Atlanta Hawks Future Plans

The 21-year-old player has faced challenges in his young career, but his potential outweighs any shortcomings.

Pool Photo-USA TODAY Sports

Cam Reddish has once again been the subject of wild trade rumors in recent weeks. The 10th pick of the 2019 NBA Draft has only played 84 regular season games in his two seasons in the league. Yet, some people are prematurely hitting the panic button.

A cold start to his rookie season, which ended abruptly in 2020, was not conducive to much success. Then after a promising start to the 2020-2021 season, a nagging Achilles injury sidelined Reddish for 2.5 months. 

This spring, Reddish's work ethic was on full display as he worked his way back from injury and into the playoff rotation. The 21-year-old averaged 23 minutes in four games against the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals. 

Cam Reddish is 6 FOR 7 from deep! @ATLHawks staying close in Game 6 on TNT 🍿 pic.twitter.com/8LQYFq3QmF

— NBA (@NBA) July 4, 2021

No rust was visible as Reddish averaged 12.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game against the Bucks. Perhaps most exciting for Hawks fans was his unlocked outside shooting. 64.3% on 3.5 attempts per game is a small but promising sample of what's to come in Reddish's future.

There is no doubt that Reddish possesses plenty of potential. The 6'8 wing plays like a young Trevor Ariza. The only issue that could jeopardize Reddish's future in Atlanta is the team's future salary cap.

Reddish gets $4.67 million in 2021-2022 and has a $5.95 million team option for the 2022-23 season. By that time, Reddish will be eligible for an $8.11 million qualifying offer and restricted free agency in the summer of 2023.

Watching a young core reach its full potential is rewarding for an organization and its fanbase - until it's time to make tough decisions on whom to pay. A crowded frontcourt only complicates matters in this scenario.

Luckily, the Hawks still have time to decide on Reddish. Hitting the panic button and trading the ideal role player would be a rare miss for General Manager Travis Schlenk. Luckily, Schlenk has been a few steps ahead of the league since his time at Golden State, so Hawks fans can count on him handling this situation the right way.