Cavaliers Trade Rumors: Cam Reddish Talks Held with Hawks; 'Price Remains High'

The Cleveland Cavaliers passed on the opportunity to select Cam Reddish when they chose Darius Garland with the No. 5 overall pick of the 2019 NBA draft, but they are reportedly interested in acquiring the Duke product heading into the 2021-22 campaign.

According to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com, the Cavaliers have "been in contact with" the Atlanta Hawks regarding Reddish "even though the price remains high."

Fedor called the small forward "a Cleveland front-office favorite since the 2019 draft."

Reddish ultimately fell to the Hawks with the No. 10 pick of that draft, and he has been a solid secondary contributor through his first two seasons.

He averaged 10.7 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.1 steals per game during those first two seasons while shooting 37.8 percent from the field and 30.9 percent from three-point range. While the shooting numbers leave something to be desired, Reddish has used his length at 6'8" on the defensive side and can slash into openings offensively.

Perhaps the biggest issue has been health, as the 21-year-old played just 26 games during the 2020-21 campaign.

As for Cleveland, Fedor noted the team is attempting to "thread a needle" by improving for the immediate future all while keeping an eye on the long term as a team that isn't ready to realistically compete for a championship.

Reddish is someone who could theoretically help it do just that considering his age and the fact his contract includes a club option for 2022-23 and the possibility for a qualifying offer for 2023-24.

The Cavaliers are coming off a 22-50 season and missed the last three playoffs, but there are some promising young pieces with Collin Sexton, Garland and Jarrett Allen on the current roster.

Reddish could represent another building block as the franchise looks to reestablish itself as a contender in the Eastern Conference.