While the Oklahoma City Thunder’s struggles have been somewhat overshadowed by an incredible leap from their lead guard, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, problems still exist. Those issues include the lack of a consistent creator-slash-scorer outside of Gilgeous-Alexander and porous perimeter defense.
The Thunder currently holds the 18th-highest offensive rating in the league, scoring 111.7 points per 100 possessions. But don’t be fooled. That is just 1.1 points better than the Orlando Magic, who currently holds the sixth-worst offensive rating.
Yes, the Thunder’s offense has just been marginally better than some of the worst offenses in the league. And that’s after signing Isaiah Joe who has been a godsend when the team needs to put up points in a hurry. The lack of offensive firepower as a whole, though, is also a sign that the team lacks the necessary personnel to consistently churn out buckets.
However, the Thunder have been able to punch above their weight when playing great defense. Generating steals and blocks and getting out in transition, ahead of opposing defenses, has been vital and has often sparked big offensive runs.
But Gilgeous-Alexander can only give so much energy to the defensive side of the floor when he’s already putting in a ton of effort on the offensive side. His usage rate is 33.1% after all, and on some nights, it’s more than that. And while Giddey is a talented ball-handler and improving scorer at 6-foot-8, he still gives up way too many drives due to his athletic limitations.
Luguentz Dort is certainly one of the league’s better on-ball defenders, but he can’t do it by himself. The other issue is that he just isn’t that efficient of a scorer. He’s a streaky shooter who isn’t a strong passer and struggles to finish at the rim. And while the Thunder do have some up and coming defensive talent, they are still up and coming.
Enter Cam Reddish. No, he’s not going to fix all of the Thunder’s issues. And you shouldn’t think so. But it’s a step in the right direction.
Reddish, currently a member of the New York Knicks, is an extremely talented defender. In fact, he’s one of only seven players under the age of 24 who have played at least 150 games in the last four seasons to average over 20 minutes per game, a steal rate of at least 2.0, and a block rate of 1.4 or better . That list includes other defensive standouts such as Jarred Vanderbilt, Tyrese Haliburton, and Anthony Edwards.
The best aspect of trading for Reddish is that he’s a cheap target. His value has sunk ever since his days at Duke, mostly due to injuries resulting in the lack of consistent playing time. Prior to this year, the 6-foot-8 forward had only played in 133 games.
But in spurts, Reddish has been able to throw up some intriguing offensive numbers in his young career. In 49 games last season, he shot a respectable 36% from the 3-point line on almost four attempts per game. He also shot over 90% from the free-throw line last year, a good indicator of shooting ability. Last year, Reddish also shot 38.9% on 131 catch-and-shoot 3-pointers. If last year was any indication, he might be a great target for Thunder ball-handlers to look for. Just imagine Giddey or Gilgeous-Alexander finding him open on the perimeter.
Another significant number to keep in mind is 59.7%. Over his last three seasons, this year included, Reddish has converted nearly 60% of his 231 field goal attempts in the restricted area. For perspective, Dort is currently shooting 53.7% this year after shooting just 54.7% last year. Reddish can finish.
And while the New York Knicks acquired him from the Atlanta Hawks just last year, it appears that Reddish and his camp aren’t happy in the Big Apple. If Reddish does want out, wing-needy teams should be willing to give him a shot.
Given Reddish’s defensive prowess and his offensive potential, he might be the perfect buy-low candidate for Oklahoma City. A team can never have enough talent, or potential, at the wing position in today’s league. And acquiring Reddish would certainly add to the already talented stable the Thunder have with Ousmane Dieng, Jalen Williams, Aaron Wiggins, and Dort.
The Thunder have the time and resources to help Reddish mature his NBA game. The franchise just hired legendary shooting coach Chip Engelland, who already seems to be having a positive effect on other young players like Josh Giddey and Aleksej Pokusevski. And Head Coach Mark Daigneault is a development-oriented coach who brings a teacher’s mentality to his roster.
And there might not be a better time to take a swing at Reddish. He’s in the last year of his rookie deal, making just 5.9 million, and will hit restricted free agency after this year. The Thunder’s coaching staff can give him a look, no strings attached, and will have the ability to re-sign him to a likely team-friendly deal should Reddish impress.
Here is what a deal between Oklahoma City and New York might look like:
Thunder get: Cam Reddish
Knicks get: Darius Bazley and the more favorable of Dallas or Miami’s 2023 second-round pick, and Atlanta’s 2025 second-round pick, protected for selections 31-40
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