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Report: Boston Celtics unlikely to trade for former top pick

By Sam LaFrance

With the NBA Trade Deadline in just over a month, it's unknown what the Boston Celtics will do -- but it seems like they won't go after a former top pick (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
With the NBA Trade Deadline in just over a month, it's unknown what the Boston Celtics will do -- but it seems like they won't go after a former top pick (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /
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As the 2022-23 NBA season continues to progress, the Boston Celtics still find themselves looking down at the rest of the league. Boston’s 26-11 record is the best in the association as of Jan. 3. With that being said, the Cs haven’t been linked to many players as the NBA Trade Deadline creeps closer. There really aren’t too many names that it would make sense for the Celtics to shake up the roster for.

However, one name that Boston has been linked to, at least by those speculating, is Cam Reddish of the New York Knicks. The 23-year-old was drafted 10th overall by the Atlanta Hawks back in 2019. He was traded to New York just under year ago, in exchange for Kevin Knox and a first round pick. If Reddish is on the move again this season, it won’t be to the Celtics, according to The Atheltic’s Jared Weiss.

During a recent Boston Celtics mailbag, Weiss discussed the possibility of the team making a move for the former Blue Devil, explaining:

"“Reddish has underwhelmed everywhere he’s gone for his effort and consistency, so I don’t see the Celtics taking away someone who brings those things to welcome that in. Stevens’ front office has prioritized personality fit and work ethic in its acquisitions over the past few years and he doesn’t fit that bill. Hopefully, he can rehab his image somewhere, but it doesn’t look like that’s happening in New York.”"

Boston Celtics not a good landing spot for raw prospects

Jared Weiss makes an excellent point about Cam Reddish’s potential fit with the Celtics. Boston hasn’t really been a great place for raw prospects to find their footing. Just take a look at former lottery picks, Aaron Nesmith and Romeo Langford. Both wings were traded away from the Celtics over the last year, and have since shown growth in their new environments. Nesmith has done nicely in a larger role with the Indiana Pacers, which has given him more room for error. Langford has had a similar shake-up with the San Antonio Spurs and has shown moderate improvement.

You’d think that New York would be a decent spot for Reddish to work on his game and get his feet underneath him. The Knicks are a middling team that could definitely benefit from giving him some run. Since being traded to the Big Apple, Reddish has made just 35 appearances for the Knicks. He’s averaged 7.4 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 0.9 assists, while shooting 43.8% from the field and 28.7% from beyond the arc.

It’s unclear if the Boston Celtics will make any sort of move before the February 9 NBA trade deadline, but if they do, it doesn’t look like it’ll be for Reddish.