OKC Thunder: Could Cam Reddish be a trade target for OKC?

The OKC Thunder are going to be involved in every piece of NBA Draft scuttlebutt for the next decade with the assets that Thunder GM Sam Presti has acquired. This year kicks things off. With rumors of an aggressive trade-up, thoughts of being the beneficiaries of a salary dump, and now a rumor of taking a flyer on a young player that might just need a change of scenery.

Could the OKC Thunder trade for Hawks wing Cam Reddish?

The Atlanta Hawks ownership group has remained consistent in saying they can not bring everybody back next season. After a 2020 offseason filled with spending, this sentiment makes sense.

John Collins has played his way into a big payday during the Hawks unexpected Eastern Conference Finals run in the 2021 NBA playoffs. It seems unlikely that any ownership group, in good faith, can return to their fanbase next season without matching any offer for Collins.

This is why the reports of the Hawks wanting to offload young players to reset the timeline, spreading out the payments owed overtime.

If the Hawks truly want to reset the clock on paying a player like Cam Reddish, as ESPN reports, it would not make sense for them to add a current NBA player. Draft pick(s) in the 2021 NBA Draft and/or beyond would be the only asset they should search for.

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Reddish, who has an injury history, is not in line for an extension until 2023, when he will be a restricted free agent. If the Hawks are desperate to move the 21-year-old wing, the OKC Thunder could swoop in.

As Jonathan Givoney, who first reported that the Hawks will explore moving Reddish, points out OKC could be a prime destination. Swapping pick 18 in the 2021 NBA Draft for the Duke product.

The Hawks get a talented player in a deep draft that will not have to be paid soon, and the Thunder gets incredible value benefiting from being in the right place at the right time. It might take an additional second-round pick, or two, but it would not make sense for Atlanta to take on an active roster player that also needs to be paid. They would just keep Reddish in that instance.

The 6’8 wing is a double-digit scorer in each of his two NBA seasons but struggles a bit from beyond the arc shooting just 30-percent thus far in the association.

In the playoffs, Reddish was finally cleared to play in the Bucks series in which game six saw him post 21 points while shooting 6-for-7 from beyond the arc (85-percent) and hauling in three rebounds, dishing out three dimes, and swiping three steals.