During the NBA offseason, the Los Angeles Lakers revamped their roster, bringing in a ton of new faces. General manager Rob Pelinka hoped that the moves would help build upon the team’s excellent performance in the second half of the 2022-23 season, which resulted in a trip to the Western Conference Finals.
While their performance there was disappointing, as they were swept by the Denver Nuggets, it was an impressive feat nonetheless with how poorly the season started. That slow start has been avoided this season as the Lakers are 12-9 heading into their In-Season Tournament matchup against the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night.
LeBron James has defied all conventional wisdom once again, leading the team with 24.4 points per game and appearing in 20 out of 21 games. He recently praised one of the new players for his performance thus far this season, as James is a big fan of Cam Reddish.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: LeBron James, Cam Reddish, Los Angeles Lakers Updates
“Cam is great,” James said after the Lakers defeated the Houston Rockets 107-97 over the weekend. “He has a knack for just being around the ball, getting deflections. I guarantee in the minutes that he’s played, he’s probably one of the league leaders in deflections, steals. Anything around the ball, he’s just really good.”
Reddish scored 11 points in the game, going 4-of-7 from the field, adding five rebounds, one assist and one block. It was a nice bounce-back for Reddish, who went scoreless in 20 minutes in his return to the lineup during the team’s historic victory over the Detroit Pistons earlier in the week.
Reddish had missed some time because of a nagging groin injury suffered on November 21st against the Utah Jazz. It was unfortunate timing, as consistency has plagued Reddish throughout his NBA career and the injury looked like it would contribute to that once again.
With inconsistencies comes constant changes in his role and playing time. It can lead to a player’s confidence being shaken, but that is something James and the Lakers are setting out to change.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: LeBron James, Cam Reddish, Los Angeles Lakers Updates
It is something that Reddish has felt since joining the team compared to his other stops. He started last season with the New York Knicks but eventually fell out of the rotation and was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers. It was the second consecutive season Reddish was traded, as the Knicks acquired him the previous season from the Atlanta Hawks.
“I haven’t had an atmosphere like this I don’t think in my entire NBA career,” Reddish said last month when asked about his Lakers experience thus far. “It’s been a lot of fun. A blessing. I’m just looking forward to the future.”
While his stats may not show it, as Reddish averages 7.2 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.5 steals per game, he is an integral part of the Lakers’ rotation. Darvin Ham counts on him as a starter on the wing and James and his teammates have confidence that he can get the job done no matter the role that is being asked of him.
Want the latest NBA analysis, breaking news, and insider information? Click Here. Follow NBA Analysis Network on Twitter and Facebook.
Interested in reading the latest storylines and analysis in the NFL? Check out our partner NFL Analysis Network.
