The Atlanta Hawks traded Cam Reddish for Dewayne Dedmon, but the trade has created a lot of discussion about whether it was the right decision. The draft pick that came back from the deal is worth more than $1 million, and may be an important asset in attracting free agents for years to come.
The “cameron reddish” is a trade that was not a mistake, but the Atlanta Hawks have much to prove. The trade sent the Philadelphia 76ers two first round draft picks in exchange for Cameron Reddish and Zhaire Smith.
On MLK Day, the Atlanta Hawks will face the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks in front of a national audience. The fallout of their Jan. 13 deal with the New York Knicks will not be as contentious as it may have been at first. Cam Reddish is no longer with the team, but what seemed to be a surprising move turned out to be more of a case of giving a disgruntled player what he wanted.
The Hawks made a deal almost a month before the NBA trade deadline on February 10th. This provides GM Travis Schlenk time to assess whether trading Reddish would help Atlanta turn around its poor season. The Hawks’ fifth loss in a row came on Jan. 15, when they fell 117–108 to the Knicks without Reddish (who is still out with an ankle injury). Atlanta, with a record of 17–25, is in risk of losing out on the play-in tournament a year after reaching the conference championships.
The Atlanta Hawks are in a downward spiral.
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The Atlanta Hawks were nearly break-even through the first six weeks of the season. The Hawks were 11–10 going into December.
The 8–7 record in November, however, proved deceiving. Atlanta had a six-game losing streak in November, followed by a seven-game winning streak. The Hawks haven’t won consecutive games since their winning run from Nov. 14 to Nov. 26.
Since December 1, they’ve gone 6-15 and have only won once in the new year. Atlanta’s roster has been ravaged by injuries and health and safety standards. Due to a wrist injury, De’Andre Hunter was out for two months. Bogdan Bogdanovi is dealing with a knee issue and hasn’t played well while healthy. Kevin Huerter isn’t hitting his targets. Trae Young isn’t capable of doing everything.
In Atlanta, though, scoring isn’t an issue. This makes the Cam Reddish deal a little more difficult to accept.
Atlanta’s defense is a disaster.
Since the start of the new year, the Atlanta Hawks have been the NBA’s worst defensive club. Any improvement for the underperforming team must begin there. | Getty Images/Kevin C. Cox
The Atlanta Hawks have the ability to score. Their offensive rating of 112.5 is second only to the Utah Jazz in the NBA. The Hawks’ dilemma is that their opponents can score seemingly at will as well. Atlanta ranks 28th in the NBA in terms of defensive efficiency, allowing 113.8 points per 100 possessions.
It’s grown a lot worse recently. With a defensive rating of 121.0 through seven games in January, the Hawks are dead bottom in the league. It’s no coincidence that they’ve lost five straight games and six of their last seven.
Atlanta’s defense will never remind anybody of the Detroit Pistons’ Bad Boys. With the 6-foot-1 Young playing significant minutes, the Hawks’ best chance is to conceal him defensively against a non-scorer.
The Hawks, on the other hand, don’t need to be a terrific defensive club because of their offensive potency. They only have to stay out of the way of the layup line.
Clint Capela’s regression plays a role in this. With Capela as the main defender, opponents shot 52.9 percent on 6.8 attempts per game inside six feet last season. On 6.4 tries, that figure has risen to 61.2 percent. Capela is swatting 1.5 shots each night this season after blocking a career-high 2.0 shots per game in 2020–21.
Capela’s defensive rebounding percentage has dropped from 59.4 percent to 56.9 percent, while his shooting percentage has dropped from 59.4 percent to 56.9 percent. So there you have it.
With Cam Reddish, the Atlanta Hawks accomplished what they needed to do.
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Cam Reddish injured his ankle in a defeat to the Clippers on Jan. 9 and did not participate in the Atlanta Hawks’ last game, a rout at home against the Miami Heat. However, after displaying defensive promise in his first two seasons, he has regressed this season.
According to The Atlanta Journal-Sarah Constitution’s K. Spencer, Reddish notified the Hawks last summer that he wanted out. The decision to move the third-year winger was influenced by that plea. The news was never leaked, which reflected favorably on Reddish and the organization’s professionalism in handling the problem. But Reddish’s desire to depart the Hawks also explains why his defensive play has deteriorated.
It was challenging for everyone involved, according to coach Nate McMillan, who spoke to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News.
“During the summer, he told us that he wanted to travel someplace else,” McMillan recalled. “Coming in was difficult for him, and he was a professional.” He was a seasoned pro who avoided using the media. He came in and attempted to work. Many of you were curious as to why he wasn’t in the rotation or why certain things weren’t being done. We figured he wasn’t going to finish the season with us.”
When it comes to the Hawks being in the limelight on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, they are catching the Bucks at the wrong moment. Milwaukee blew it on Jan. 15, losing at home to the Toronto Raptors on a night when Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton combined for a 9-of-29 shooting performance.
The Atlanta Hawks, unfortunately, are the ideal opponent for a club coming off a terrible offensive performance. Atlanta’s next opponent will be the first in a long time.
Basketball Reference and NBA.com provided the statistics.
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RELATED: NBA Trade Rumors: The Atlanta Hawks Seem Prepared to Completely Blow Up Their Roster Around Trae Young, as Everyone But Him and Clint Capela Is ‘Available.’
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