The New York Knicks are trying to flip Cam Reddish for a 3-and-D player that could bolster their bench unit that has struggled lately.
Enter Milwaukee Bucks’ Grayson Allen, a solid perimeter defender who is a career 39.5 percent shooter from behind the arc.
With the Bucks reportedly interested in Reddish, a straight swap with Allen makes perfect sense for both teams. According to HoopsHype, the Knicks and the Bucks have discussed a swap and several trade concepts not involving Allen.
Reddish, a former lottery pick, continued to be a tease in his fourth season in the league, although he was never given an established role since he arrived in New York in a midseason trade last season.
Reddish flourished in spurts as a stop-gap measure when a foot injury sidelined Quentin Grimes at the start of the season. The former 10th overall pick averaged 8.4 points on a career-high 44.9% shooting, including 10.3 points and 1.3 steals in eight starts. He had a five-game stretch in November where he scored in double figures, starting with a 26-point effort in a home loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
But inconsistency continued to haunt him, and his uninspiring scoreless performance against the Dallas Mavericks on Dec. 3 essentially ended his brief Knicks tenure.
Reddish is owed $5.9 million this season and will hit restricted free agency this summer. On the other hand, Allen is in the first year of an $18.7 million, two-year deal.
Perfect fit with Knicks bench
A former Duke player like Reddish, Allen has built a reputation as an outstanding shooter and a physical defender bordering on a dirty player. Allen has been hit with three flagrant fouls, four technical fouls, and one ejection in his first four NBA seasons.
This season, Allen has incurred one flagrant foul. He’s averaging 10.7 points on 40.2 three-point shooting percentage, 3.6 rebounds and 2.7 assists as a starter for the Bucks.
His defensive toughness fits the Thibodeau mold and his shooting will instantly boost the Knicks’ bench which is in the bottom five of scoring.
But the Bucks might prefer getting a veteran who could help them in the playoffs than taking a flier on Reddish. Allen has also been linked in trade scenarios involving Phoenix’s Jae Crowder and Houston’s Eric Gordon.
It might take more than Reddish for the Knicks to acquire Allen.
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