How Cam Reddish trade could impact Knicks’ lineup and defense

Yesterday, the Knicks traded Kevin Knox and Charlotte’s protected first-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks for Solomon Hill, a second-round pick, and Cam Reddish. This deal served as the starting gun to the NBA trade season, and New York’s first shake-up of their roster since the offseason.

Inbound is Reddish, a former 10th overall pick and college teammate of RJ Barrett’s. While the Hawks may have been too deep on the wings and too invested in other contract extension to retain him, the Knicks saw a potential addition to their young core.

How big of an addition is it, and what can Reddish provide to this rotation right away?

Reddish is 22 years old, stands 6’8” and 218 pounds, and is oozing potential. Hawks fans and experts drooled about his future All-Star chances, boasting a mixed bag of undeveloped talents.

While his size indicates he’s a bigger wing, Reddish is known offensively for his guard skills. He’s shooting 37.9% from three, and much higher on strictly catch-and-shoot looks. His ball-handling is already impressive for his size, with room to grow. There are shades of playmaking as well, to the point where Atlanta experimented with him at point guard.

Reddish is a dynamic athlete who can change speeds and leap with the best of them. The challenge for him is harnessing these gifts and applying them well on a consistent basis. One game he looks like Paul George incarnate, another a very raw prospect.

Defensively is where he can have the biggest impact. His ability to cover ground horizontally and vertically, his over-seven-foot wingspan and his instinct make him a tantalizing prospect on that end, and he’s already proven to be capable there in stretches.

That’s likely where he’d be able to contribute right away. While there’s sure to be an adjustment period trying to grasp Tom Thibodeau’s system, with some quick pulls following mistakes along the way, there’s no better situation to unlock his potential as a…