New York Knicks forward Cam Reddish will miss the remainder of the 2021-22 season due to a separated shoulder, as first reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Wednesday.
Reddish’s first months with the Knicks haven’t gone to plan in the slightest after he was acquired from the Atlanta Hawks in a package that included a first-round draft pick and forward Kevin Knox.
While Knicks management was bullish on the 22-year-old, who was drafted 10th overall in 2019 out of Duke — figuring a change of scenery and more playing time would unlock his potential — head coach Tom Thibodeau seemingly had different plans for him.
Upon making his debut following an ankle injury, Reddish has been used sparingly in New York, averaging just 14.5 minutes in 15 games while posting 6.1 points and 1.4 rebounds per night. It was an even lighter workload for a player that was looking to get more playing time with a Hawks team that gave him 23.4 minutes per game during the first half of the season before the trade.
For more like this Cam Reddish article, visit Tailgate Sports’ NBA page
Thibodeau, however, is a stickler for consistency in terms of keeping a rotation intact. Reddish was stuck behind his former Duke teammate in RJ Barrett at the small forward spot while the presence of Evan Fournier eliminated any hope of either Blue Devil product being flexed to the 2.
The timetable for Reddish’s recovery is slated for six weeks, which will ensure he will be fully ready for a ramp-up to next season.
Where he will be playing, though, is a different story depending on how the Knicks view his future — and it’s contingent on Thibodeau. To give up a first-round pick and a young forward like Knox suggests that the Knicks want Reddish to be a part of their future and create a complement with the budding New York star in Barrett. He is under team control through the 2022-23 season where he could then become a restricted free agent.
