The Knicks finally found a trade partner to deal Cam Reddish to, sending him to the Trail Blazers for Josh Hart. NBA trade grades for the deal.
The writing has been on the wall for Cam Reddish with the New York Knicks for a long time. All that was remaining to be seen leading up to Thursday’s NBA Trade Deadline was if the front office would be able to find a trade partner.
Their dancing partner showed up on Wednesday night as New York agreed to a trade with the Portland Trail Blazers.
Portland will send veteran Josh Hart to the Knicks while the Trail Blazers will be getting Reddish, two other players, and a future pick with unique protections in return, as first reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Cam Reddish trade details: Knicks get Josh Hart, pay to unload Reddish to Trail Blazers
Here’s a look at the trade as reported between New York and Portland.
Knicks Get
G Josh Hart
Trail Blazers Get
G/F Cam Reddish
Lottery Protected 2023 First-Round Pick
G Ryan Arcidiacano
G Svi Mykhailiuk
It’s an interesting pick heading to the Trail Blazers in this deal. While it is lottery protected for this year’s draft, should the Knicks end up in the lottery and retain the selection, then Portland would then receive four future second-round picks, per Wojnarowski.
NBA Trade Grades: Knicks get away from Cam Reddish, upgrade backcourt with Josh Hart
It has been clear for weeks and weeks that New York — Tom Thibodeau specifically — has been fed up with Reddish and, bluntly, doesn’t want to have him on the floor. Though the Knicks do have to give up a pick to make this deal, the fact that they are able to essentially move on from a player they didn’t see a use for on the floor and add a versatile and tough two-way player like Josh Hart is a great move for them. Mykhailiuk and Arcidiacano, in essence, are just throw-ins.
This won’t be the move that takes the Knicks to the NBA Finals or anything, but if the goal of the NBA Trade Deadline is to upgrade the roster and get better, that’s what New York has done here, albeit at a price for them.
Knicks Grade: B
NBA Trade Grades: Trail Blazers take draft capital to take on Cam Reddish
I actually like this trade for Portland more than I do the Knicks, even if New York is accomplishing what they want to. For one, Reddish is still a talented young player who has potential, even if he was disappointing in the Big Apple. As such, taking on the former Duke star as a potential reclamation project is somewhat enticing.
Meanwhile, the pick they are getting is something that should be interesting. They are either getting a late-first-round pick in this year’s draft or they are getting four darts to throw in the second round to try and fill out their roster in the future. That’s a nice haul for what essentially amounts to a role player.
Trail Blazers Grade: B+