Cam Reddish Must Seize Chance with Lakers' Depth Tested After Gabe Vincent Injury

The news that Gabe Vincent will miss at least two weeks, coupled with a recent rash of injuries to Jarred Vanderbilt, Rui Hachimura, and Taurean Prince, has tested the Los Angeles Lakers' depth early in this 2023-24 season.

It has also opened the door for Cam Reddish to seize an opportunity and establish his value to the team far quicker than he or the organization expected.

He wasted little time against the across-town rival Clippers, playing 37 minutes and scoring eight point, but it was his defensive play that left the greatest impression. He tallied four rebounds, three steals, and a block, and helped the team pick up an overtime victory.

Reddish added four assists to his stat line in a performance that provided Lakers a taste of what they can expect from a player whose potential has always been enormous, even if he has not quite caught up to it as of yet.

He is not likely to be a big scorer, as evidenced by his point total and going two-of-seven and one-of-five from beyond the arc, but if he is can consistently provide the defensive presence that he did against the Clippers, he will benefit a team that has struggled from a depth perspective in recent years.

LeBron James and Anthony Davis both missed considerable time a season ago and the Lakers struggled during that span. The team has gone to great lengths to beef up its roster and ensure it does not run into the same issues as it looks to make it back to the Western Conference Finals and, hopefully, make a run at the NBA title.

Having a player like Reddish, who is naturally talented and can come off the bench and provide the defensive spark that he did against the Clippers is a position the team would not have found itself in a year ago.

Beyond that, it has provided Reddish an opportunity to prove himself as a valuable contributor on a roster full of them. Consistent play will be key but it would not be out of the realm of possibility that, if he can find his shot, he takes on a greater role with the team and begins discovering that potential that so many have touted since he first entered the league in 2019.