Cam Reddish Says He Has 'A Lot to Prove' After Trade to Blazers from Knicks

Cam Reddish knows the challenge that lies before him following his trade to the Portland Trail Blazers.

"I have a lot to prove," he said to The Athletic's Jason Quick.

Head coach Chauncey Billups told Quick that Reddish has a "clean slate" in Portland, which was what the fourth-year wing wanted to hear:

"He told me he is going to see for himself. So whatever New York, Atlanta … whoever may have said whatever … he is going to see what is true and what is not true. I respect that because he is being real with me, being straight up with me and giving me a real shot. So I love it, man. I'm going to give it my all. Give it my all."

Reddish is on his third team since entering the NBA in 2019 as a first-round pick by the Atlanta Hawks. He saw his role on the Hawks steadily diminish, and the same thing happened with the New York Knicks. In the case of the latter, he fell out of the rotation entirely.

Prior to his trade to Portland last week, the 23-year-old hadn't played since Dec. 3. He suited up for the Blazers for the first time in a 138-129 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder last Friday, finishing with 11 points, two rebounds and two assists in 17 minutes.

Blazers star Damian Lillard was complimentary of him after the game.

Getting discarded by two teams is bound to put a chip on a player's shoulder. In Reddish's case, his potential free agency represents a more tangible motivator.

The 6'8" forward can become a restricted free agent in the summer if the Blazers give him an $8.1 million qualifying offer. That step is often a formality, but it may be no guarantee with Reddish given how much his value has fallen over the last few seasons.

Through his performance in the stretch run, he can not only solidify his short-term future but also work his way toward a multiyear offer from Portland or another team.

The Blazers have every reason to give Reddish sustained playing time because his RFA status will be a nice luxury if he becomes a worthwhile contributor. At 28-29, they're in need of reinforcements around Lillard.

The next two months will be pivotal toward determining whether Reddish and Portland's partnership is sustainable.