Boston Celtics: Would the Cs be a good suitor for Cam Reddish?

It’s not an NBA offseason without some struggling young players rumored to be on the trade block, and it’s not an offseason if the Boston Celtics aren’t showing interest in those young guys. Recently a report surfaced that Cam Reddish was put on the trade block by the Atlanta Hawks as they look to bounce back from their Eastern Conference Finals loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.

Although Reddish has had his fair share of struggles, his flashes make him a highly touted commodity this offseason for any team. Bottom feeders, contenders, and teams in the middle of the pack will all make a call on Reddish’s price tag, and the Boston Celtics should pick up the phone.

Cam Reddish is a 22-year-old, six-foot-eight, 218-lb dynamic wing that had his sophomore season derailed by injuries. As the former 10th overall pick, teams are betting on the flashes Reddish has shown throughout his two seasons in the NBA despite not shooting above 40% from the field in either of his first two years.

He’s a project, but his age, physical abilities, and flashes make him a very attractive project to take on because fixing him is not as tall of a task as Jarrett Culver. Although his three-point numbers are relatively underwhelming, Reddish shoots 80% at the line on solid volume and has no visible hitches in his form, meaning his shooting potential is ripe.

He has learned to leverage his massive frame around the rim, shooting 66% from 0-3′ last season. His scoring potential is very attainable, and any team with an average development track can unlock it.

So why is Reddish on the trading block? If he’s so good and if his potential is so easily reachable, why aren’t the Atlanta Hawks trying everything they can to help him break out? The short answer is, it’s not that simple.

The Hawks are in an interesting position. They just had an inspiring Eastern Conference Finals run and their best player, Trae Young, proved he could lead a team to high-level success in the playoffs. Other guys like Kevin Huerter, John Collins, and Bogdan Bogdanovic proved to be valuable pieces that can help the Hawks win at the highest level.

However, Atlanta has accidentally created a log jam at multiple positions while they stacked their bench, which has led to Cam Reddish’s trade availability. The Hawks don’t need Reddish’s skill set, and they don’t have the minutes to help him develop on the court.

To make matters worse, his injuries halt his off-court development, so Atlanta can’t help him polish his game before games or during practice because he’s constantly recovering. It’s just best the two camps call it even and go their separate ways, and I think the Boston Celtics are a great suitor for Reddish.

With the Cs low on money, taking on Reddish’s rookie contract won’t be hard, and it gives them a chance to acquire an asset that they will appreciate over time. If they can keep Reddish healthy–which I’ll admit is a big if–and they can find him playing time, the Celtics can either keep him as their third wing of the future or attach him to a contract next offseason when they clear space for Bradley Beal.

They’ll have the roster space to play Reddish behind Fournier if he resigns, and they’ll have the touches for him to develop his scoring. He is who people want to believe Romeo Langford can become, but he’s so much better and more likely to take the third-year leap. If the Boston Celtics can get Reddish without giving up too many core pieces, I say go for it.