Ranking The Atlanta Hawks Draft Trade Targets

1. Cam Reddish 6’8 208 Forward – Duke

2018 Stats: Pts:13.5 REB:3.7 APG:1.9 STL:1.6 BLK:0.6 FG%:35.6 2P%:39.4 3P%:33.3 FT%:77.2

Cam Reddish is certainly not the number one player on most, if any standard NBA Draft boards. However I feel that he is the best fit for the Atlanta Hawks of the attainable players in this year’s draft. When looking at the criteria of dribble pass, shoot and defend, Reddish checks off every one of those boxes to varying degrees. Cam’s lack of protection is a bit concerning, but he was terribly miscast at Duke, relegated to mostly being a spot up shooter. Cam should have been the primary creator for the team, allowing his teammates Zion Williamson and R.J. Barrett to focus on scoring the basketball. Instead he was most often third in terms of ball handling responsibilities, with point guard Tre Jones sometimes touching the basketball more as well.

The skills Cam Reddish has as a secondary ball handler and passer will be put to good use, should he find his way to Atlanta. His smooth looking shooting stroke should allow Reddish to develop into a reliable jump shooter, on both spot ups and off screens. He also has the fluidity and length possessing a 7’1 wingspan, to one day be a lock down defender if he wants to be. Cam Reddish does not come without risks, but he flat-out passes the eye test. Most importantly his skill set fits the Atlanta Hawks needs perfectly.

The ESPN YouTube channel provides us with a thorough look at Cam Reddish:

ESPN’s Draft Express also recognized the great fit of Cam Reddish on the Atlanta Hawks. They also give us a glimpse of his athleticism and shooting stroke in the video attached to the following tweet:

There is a scenario in which Cam Reddish could be available at number eight. For that reason I selected Cam with the eighth pick, in the most recent Atl All Day Mock Draft. However with him impressing scouts and general managers at workouts before shutting things down with a minor core injury, that scenario seems unlikely to come to fruition. A key spot to watch for is number four. Should the Los Angeles Lakers select point guard Darius Garland, that would leave Coby White as the only point guard available, worthy of a top ten selection. Even if Cleveland where to select guard Jarrett Culver over Reddish, it is highly unlikely a team such as the Phoenix Suns or Chicago Bulls who both badly need a player to facilitate for their scorers, would pass on the former high school point guard for three and D player De’Andre Hunter. The only hope for the Atlanta Hawks, is that the Cavaliers select Hunter at number five. That is a risk that Travis Schlenk is probably unwilling to take, and I would agree with him.

Since the Atlanta Hawks have the draft capital to spend, I am of the belief that Travis Schlenk should go get the player he wants should the cost be reasonable. As the Hawks continue to build through the draft, the team is also preparing for a return to the playoffs next season. Winning games will be the final element, in Atlanta becoming a viable free agent destination for superstar players. They have the talent base and one of the leagues best general managers. It’s now all about adding the right pieces alongside Trae Young, John Collins and Kevin Huerter, as they continue to develop.