Kirschner: Cam's best days plausibly ahead of him... on another team

[sturt]

https://theathletic.com/2562731/2021/05/03/cam-reddish-year-2-what-we-learned-whats-next-and-what-it-means-for-the-hawks/
 

Quote

 

...there’s still hope that he turns into the player so many in the Hawks organization believe he can be. Several teammates said Reddish looked like one of the best players this offseason when the returnees all traveled to California for some pickup games, and Reddish locked up Kevin Durant.

With Bogdan Bogdanovic playing at this level, De’Andre Hunter’s growth in fewer games played than Reddish and Huerter’s improvement, I’m not sure where that leaves Reddish in the mix moving forward. I’m not saying he needs to be traded — wings at his size who can defend have value — but from what he displayed in Year 2, there doesn’t seem like there’s a clear path to being a starter on this roster soon.

There are numerous reasons to not give up on a player so early in his career. Just look at Barrett with the Knicks, Darius Garland and Collin Sexton with the Cavaliers, Miles Bridges and Malik Monk with the Hornets and even Hunter (many, myself included, thought Reddish was clearly the better prospect between the two of them coming into the season).

The Hawks are progressing toward being a legitimate contender in the Eastern Conference and have the young talent, veteran contracts and draft capital needed to acquire a star. In the NBA, you never know who might become available, as we saw with James Harden and Houston. If the Hawks do go down that route and explore upgrading the roster, Reddish should not be off the table, even if his future value is unknown. It might be a situation where Reddish’s true potential won’t be discovered until he’s on a different team.

 

 

[sturt]

The decision that player development was more important than acquiring a vet big to take some load off of Capela made crystal clear, from where I sit, that while the playoffs were and are a goal, player development remains a higher one... hence, why we're sitting here today w/o a vet big.

If Schlenk and McM are consistent in that, then that stands in contrast to Kirschner's presumption that "it’s hard to imagine the team trying to reintegrate him into the lineup and focusing on his development when the stakes are much higher than the regular season."

Particularly so, given that there will be times when Cam's defensive prowess would/could/should be an option to deploy.

[RedDawg#8]

4 hours ago, sturt said:

Particularly so, given that there will be times when Cam's defensive prowess would/could/should be an option to deploy.

Sturt, we have our positions but I will say this, if Nate chose to stay with a 10 man rotation and NOT play Dunn on a night when Dame, CJ, and Powell were getting all they could eat against us, then you best accept that Cam would find himself in a similar position after being out so long. Clearly Nate does not put his eggs in one basket defensively. He'd rather Kev Huerter grow a pair and guard the toughest matchup than force a stopper who is a liability on to the court.

[skimaskway23]

If this team trades cam, I will be done. To give up on a pick who you knew was a project would be such a let down. The idea of him torching us playing for another team in a couple years makes me sick

[High5]

6 hours ago, sturt said:

The decision that player development was more important than acquiring a vet big to take some load off of Capela made crystal clear, from where I sit, that while the playoffs were and are a goal, player development remains a higher one... hence, why we're sitting here today w/o a vet big.

If Schlenk and McM are consistent in that, then that stands in contrast to Kirschner's presumption that "it’s hard to imagine the team trying to reintegrate him into the lineup and focusing on his development when the stakes are much higher than the regular season."

Particularly so, given that there will be times when Cam's defensive prowess would/could/should be an option to deploy.

I really think you’re overestimating the impact an unsigned bum like Henson or Vonleh would have over Okongwu. 

[Final_quest]

1 hour ago, skimaskway23 said:

If this team trades cam, I will be done. To give up on a pick who you knew was a project would be such a let down. The idea of him torching us playing for another team in a couple years makes me sick

No way.  Articles like this are pure speculation and click bait.  There was no substance, just wild guessing.  
Part of the premise was he wouldn’t get minutes.  But that assumes 100% health on the roster.  Don’t lose any sleep.  

[sturt]

1 hour ago, High5 said:

I really think you’re overestimating the impact an unsigned bum like Henson or Vonleh would have over Okongwu. 

Not a particularly accurate representation of my comment. PMd you.

[aali34]

Snell might not be on the roster next season. Cam isn't going to be traded unless he's packaged for a Superstar, especially since he's on a rookie contract.

[bleachkit]

Cam will be back, but I have a bad feeling injuries and poor shooting might hold back his otherwise promising career.

[NBASupes]

Cam is our Malik Monk. Could he be much better than what he is? Sure!

Does he need to stay healthy? Sure

Does he need to gain weight? Sure

But he's worth a lot more to us than to others, so we aren't moving him? No team sees him as the main player they want for their Beal or Harden. He's too critical for us just to move for anything less. Like Monk, he's going to be here for along time.

Its when you are Bagley where you are a disappointment on both ends, your family doesn't care for you and you hurt the team on both ends of the court where teams might cut bail early on you. But Cam is more in the Monk range at this moment. His organization sees the potential and values him. Cam has a lot more potential than Monk but I was using Monk as an example. 

I don't see none of the kids getting moved yet. We just aren't that deep into our development stage. We are only in year 3 and we are a top 5 playoff team in our conference and 1st in the SE.

[Spud2nique]

Cam stays, period. He has worldly talent. Stay patient.

[sturt]

To no one in particular...

Let's remember, shall we, that it might kinda be pretty damn important in reality for Cam to have already gotten some decent playoff experience under his belt, come the highly-anticipated 2021-22 playoff drama.

If it's about winning a championship in 2020-21, then sure, I can agree that it's unlikely that Cam will see much if any minutes in the post-season, assuming he gets healthy enough.

I just don't believe it is, of course, and for reasons already stated at the top.

[macdaddy]

If Cam can play in the playoffs then he'll definitely at least get a few minutes here and there on the lock down crew.  

[RedDawg#8]

I'm not naïve, I know Cam is a commodity that we are going to bend over backwards to see develop for a number of reasons. 1) is just his true potential that he holds, 2) is the need to surround Trae with elite talent, and a potential 2nd star player, and 3) to validate the Luka trade and protect Schlenk's reputation in these streets.

Fact is, and I said this a while ago, this season is a wash for Cam. I thought that even when he was supposed to come back before the end of the year. But especially now that he likely will miss weeks in to the postseason, I just don't see a scenario where it benefits the coaches or his teammates to be worried about him coming back and contributing a month from now (he will get another 2 week timetable at his next update on the 16th, book it)

I believe that from a psychological perspective alone, you want guys to be able to know who they are going in to battle with and be able to prioritize building that chemistry and rhythm together and not looking over their shoulder expecting a body to be there that may not be in game form jumping in to the rotation in the middle of a playoff series. Especially when he has missed the entire portion of the season that the team has been playing it's best without him.

Dre is toting that same line as well right now. At some point, you have to move forward and game plan with the guys you have, not the ones you hope you get back. You know, hope for the best, plan for the worst type deal. Cam is not in the picture, the earliest he would likely come back is the end of May, but very possibly later than that, the way they are going. If you need a  stopper with a broken jumpshot you have Dunn available on the bench. 

Deandre has a couple more weeks before he gets left behind too

[Guest]

I agree.  While it might be nice for Cam and Dre to get some playoff experience at this point in their young careers, the Hawks aren't realistically doing much more than getting through the first round, and then hopefully making at least a little noise in the second round before being eliminated this season.

So, why risk chemistry, and possibly additional injury, when this is not the season we will truly need them?  Just go with what we've got, enjoy the nice progress we made this year, and then see if/when our full roster can make another leap next year (assuming we don't package something like Cam and Kevin for some sort of superstar - which position I don't know, unless they want an all-star small forward in case Dre is a long term, chronic injury concern).