On Facebook
On Flipboard
On Twitter
One of the unsung heroes for the Los Angeles Lakers throughout their run in the In-Season Tournament was wing Cam Reddish. Viewed as more of an offensive-minded player coming into the season, head coach Darvin Ham inserted Reddish into the starting lineup where he has become the team’s primary defensive stopper.
This was on display in the In-Season Tournament Finals when Reddish was tasked with trying to slow down Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton, who had totaled 28 assists without a turnover in the prior two rounds. But thanks to Reddish and the Lakers defense as a whole, they were able to force three turnovers from notoriously sure-handed point guard.
And while Reddish’s performance has come as a surprise to many, Darvin Ham is not one of them as he knew Reddish was willing to do anything to help the Lakers succeed after speaking with him before the season.
“Before we signed Cam, he and I had several conversations,” Ham said after the Lakers’ victory. “Once we signed him, he told me, Coach, just be straight up and clear with me. Whatever you need me to do, whatever I’m not doing, just shoot straight. I said, oh, you got the right guy. Cam is phenomenal.”
If there is one thing about Ham, he is always straightforward with his players and they appreciate that. Reddish might not be scoring at the level he is used to, but his defense has been invaluable to the Lakers and Ham feels there is nothing he can’t do on the court.
“He’s the quintessential 3-and-D guy, but he can also handle the ball,” Ham added. “We use Cam to initiate plays. Cam can switch off on basically anybody. He has a knack for getting deflections and steals. Comes up with huge rebounds. He can finish. He can space the floor.
“All of that said, I just told him, man, embrace the work. The environment is going to love on you, so make sure you submerge yourself into the environment that we’ve created with our program. He’s going to flourish within it.”
Sometimes all it takes is getting with the right organization around the right people to really bring out the best in certain players. Joining the Lakers with Ham as the coach and LeBron James and Anthony Davis setting the tone as leaders has allowed for Reddish to flourish in a role the team greatly need him in and the results have been outstanding.
Ham mentioned hoping to coach Reddish after seeing his performance as a member of the Atlanta Hawks during the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals when Ham was an assistant with the Milwaukee Bucks. Now he has gotten that opportunity and the pairing has proven to be perfect for both.
Lakers’ LeBron James praises Cam Reddish for clutch 3-pointer vs. Pacers
Cam Reddish only scored nine points in the Lakers win, but the lone 3-pointer he knocked down was absolutely huge for the Lakers in staving off a Pacers comeback and that moment was not lost on LeBron James.
“And like AD said, getting Vando back, getting Rui back has helped our frontcourt, our size, and getting Cam back has helped us a lot. Not too many people talk about it, but one of the biggest shots of the game was they made their run, cut it to three and Cam hits that big-time three in front of our bench to put it up six.
“We didn’t go back after that. Cam has been big-time for us and I’m happy to see him thrive under this role with us because he deserves it, for sure.”
More must-reads:
- Bucks executive opens up on Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors
- Insider offers opinion on Lebron James' thoughts on Lakers
- The 'Most NBA games played' quiz
Breaking News
Trending News
Customize Your Newsletter
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
TODAY'S BEST
Lakers Officially Sign Former Ivy League Star
The Lakers probably have not had the impact offseason many fans hoped they'd have, choosing to spend their limited available money on what they hope will be bargain pieces--point guard Marcus Smart and center Deandre Ayton, players who were good enough to be considered stars at one point, but who have fallen off enough that their previous teams saw fit to buy them out. That's far from the wild trade proposals fans and some media members dreamt up over recent months. And it is far from the bubbling rumors of a blockbuster that would send star forward LeBron James elsewhere. It's still possible that the Lakers will find a wild trade to make in the coming weeks, perhaps even one that includes James, no matter how unlikely that looks to be. But those around the league and within the Lakers have long held that L.A. has belief in the current roster, when healthy. And there's a determination to give it a shot. That means not only the additions of Smart and Ayton, but also, finally, getting healthy seasons from Jarred Vanderbilt and Jaxson Hayes, plus improvement from the likes of Bronny James and, of course, more familiarity with Luka Doncic. In the meantime, the Lakers need to fill out the back end of the roster, and for a team that has had some luck with G League and two-way players, that could be important. The Lakers announced on Thursday that they are signing former Cornell star Chris Manon, who struggled and averaged 6.6 points last year after transferring to Vanderbilt, to a two-way contract. Manon played with the Warriors in summer league, and ESPN's Dave McMenamin reported that the Lakers still have a two-way post available. He wrote on Twitter/X: "The Lakers announce the signing of Chris Mañon to a two-way contract. They have one two-way contract available to fill still, with center Christian Koloko signed as their second two-way player." Manon's offensive struggles were obvious when he moved to the SEC, but it was never his scoring that was going to get him to the NBA. As the site No Ceilings wrote of Manon: "Chris Manon is one of the best defensive playmakers in college hoops. Despite carrying a 26.6 usage rate, Manon was still a high-energy, active defender. He posted a 5.5 STL%, 2.8 BLK%, and 4.1 DBPM, which are elite indicators for a guard prospect."
Steelers Teammates Are Noticing Great Differences From Aaron Rodgers: 'A Guy That's Bought In'
The Pittsburgh Steelers have an interesting quarterback situation that has been monitored by NFL fans throughout the 2025 offseason. The organization was in pursuit of four-time league MVP Aaron Rodgers for over three months, and the quarterback finally signed a one-year deal. He was then in Pittsburgh for mandatory minicamp. He is the unquestioned starter heading into the 2025 season, and he is coming off of a quietly good season with the New York Jets in 2024 statistically. He was bouncing back from a serious injury, so it should be expected for him to play even better in 2025. Rodgers got better as the 2024 season went along after missing all of 2023, and he is now further removed from his Achilles injury. He has a decent amount of weapons on Pittsburgh's offense, and the team is expected to rely on its run game and defense once again. Rodgers won't be asked to do too much, which should be a recipe for success for the 41-year old quarterback. Will Howard spoke to the media in Latrobe, PA on Thursday morning, and he had nothing but great things to say about the starting quarterback for Pittsburgh. The 41-year old has been heavily criticized in the media in the past for being a bad teammate, but every report that has come out of Pittsburgh has suggested otherwise. Rodgers has already expressed his willingness to mentor Howard and show him the ropes as he goes through his rookie season, which is something that has gotten a lot of the fan base in Pittsburgh excited about the addition of Rodgers. Rodgers has always been misunderstood throughout his career. He has been blamed for countless things that simply weren't his fault. It seemed that everything that went wrong with the Jets was somehow because of the quarterback, despite the fact that the Jets organization has been one of the worst in all of sports over the last decade or so. The fan base in Pittsburgh was frustrated with the way Rodgers handled his free agency, as he seemed to drag out his signing with Pittsburgh. The quarterback said he was dealing with some things in his personal life that made him want to take his time, which some fans took issue with. After these new comments from Howard, the fans should completely flip in their opinions on Rodgers. He is approaching this job with the Steelers in a positive manner, he is bought in, and he is helping the younger guys on the roster. Steelers’ Offense Has A Chance To Be The Best Its Been With Aaron Rodgers The offense in Pittsburgh has been inconsistent, and sometimes absolutely stagnant in recent years. The run game has fallen apart at times, and the quarterback play has been abysmal on occasion. That shouldn't be the case in 2025, as Rodgers' experience and talent should be able to take the unit to the next level, especially if the offensive line can take a step forward. This will open up the run game, which will only help the offense as a whole. Rodgers will have an absolute animal to throw to on the outside in DK Metcalf, as well as some speedsters in Calvin Austin III and Roman Wilson. Pittsburgh also rosters one of the best tight end rooms in the league with Pat Freiermuth, Jonnu Smith, and Darnell Washington. Rodgers will be able to end his career on a high note with these weapons, and the near-decade long draught of playoff success could come to a close.
Dodgers Predicted to Acquire $4.175 Million All-Star, Gold Glove Outfielder in Blockbuster Trade
If any team around the league is set to strike a blockbuster deal ahead of the July 31 trade deadline, it's the Los Angeles Dodgers. While the defending champions are expected to make a splash this summer, there's uncertainty as to where LA will look to upgrade the roster. The Dodgers could quite frankly use additions in several areas of the roster, including the bullpen, starting rotation, and lineup. Tanner Scott's ongoing struggles has stirred speculation that the front office will add a reliever this summer. Additionally, Scott and Michael Kopech are both injured, which leaves the bullpen short two high-leverage arms. Beyond the bullpen, the Dodgers are still missing two staples of their rotation in Blake Snell and Roki Sasaki. However, both pitchers appear to be headed for a return to the team down the stretch. Therefore, ESPN insider David Schoenfield believes the Dodgers will look to acquire an outfielder and a leadoff hitter in Steven Kwan of the Cleveland Guardians. "The reasoning here: Michael Conforto just hasn't worked out," Schoenfield writes. "The Dodgers have given him 300 plate appearances and he's hitting under .200, plus he's not a good left fielder. They could also use a leadoff hitter. They just moved Mookie Betts there in front of Shohei Ohtani, looking to get Betts going, but Betts just hasn't been an offensive force in 2025 and shouldn't be hitting at the top of a lineup right now. Kwan would fix both issues and give them a nice OBP guy in front of Ohtani while providing a major defensive upgrade." While the Dodgers have been linked to Kwan, it remains to be seen whether the Guardians are willing to part ways with the Gold Glover. ESPN's Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel gave just a 20 percent chance that Kwan would be traded. The All-Star outfielder is under team control through 2027, and is due $4.1 million this season. The Dodgers could send a large haul of prospects to Cleveland, as the organization has one of the best farm systems in MLB. However, the Dodgers are reportedly unwilling to move top prospects such as Dalton Rushing and Alex Freeland.
Could a reunion be in the cards for Rangers HC and this defenseman?
New York Rangers general manager Chris Drury has enjoyed an excellent offseason thus far, ticking items off his ‘to do’ list with encouraging regularity. That said, there are still holes to fill on this Rangers team, like the bottom of the Rangers' defensive corps. Adam Fox is a star and Vladislav Gavrikov is a perfect acquisition, sorting out the top pairing. Will Borgen and Braden Schneider, health permitting, should form a solid second pairing. The third pairing, however, remains up in the air. On paper, Carson Soucy is an outstanding third pair D-man. He's big, nasty and responsible in his own end. Last season, though, he was horrible with both the Rangers and the Vancouver Canucks. Never the swiftest of movers, Soucy looked far older than his birth certificate (30) might suggest. He was caught out of position an alarming number of times and, given he provides zero offense, was a huge negative overall. Brought in to fix an ailing defense, Soucy instead poured kerosene onto the blaze. Scott Morrow is an intriguing prospect. Acquired in the K’Andre Miller deal to Carolina, the 22-year-old possesses good size (6-foot-2, 210 pounds) and swift feet while being very offensive minded. Learning at the foot of Fox should only help Morrow’s development. That said, he’s currently a pronounced liability in his own end, prone to the sort of haziness and losses of concentration that saw Miller drive Rangers fans crazy. In time, he’ll be a good one, but the question remains: is that time now? No other option inspires a ton of confidence. Urho Vaakanainen? He’s … fine? Responsible enough defensively but provides little offense and doesn’t exactly own the defensive zone, either. Matthew Robertson, a former second-round pick, played the final two games of last season. Those are his only two games in the NHL. He’s big and can skate, but is 24 and simply could be destined to be an AHL/NHL swingman? E.J. Emery and Drew Fortescue are still far too green for the big leagues. Conner Mackey and Derrick Pouliot set precisely zero hearts racing. With a gap that requires filling, does new head coach Mike Sullivan look to his old team in Pittsburgh and seek a reunion with Matt Grzelcyk? The 31-year-old only played one season under Sullivan after a career spent in Boston, but that one season was clearly his best. His 40 points (one goal, 39 assists) was, by far, a career high, despite playing on a poor Penguins team. Sullivan clearly trusts Grzelyck, his 20:37 of average ice time was also a career high. Despite the lack of goals, Grzelyck is an accomplished power play conductor, his 15 assists last season tied for the team lead with Sidney Crosby. His breakout passing at 5-on-5 is eye-opening. At the same time, he is responsible defensively. He’s also a playoff veteran, with 66 games under his belt. Grzelyck’s agent, Matt Fish, recently told ESPN that his client is looking for ‘the best fit’ and that is where the Rangers may fall short. Would Grzelyck be happy on a second on third pairing? He won’t see PP1 minutes on a team with Fox, so would he be satisfied with quarterbacking the second power play? Of course, the bright lights in New York would mean that Grzelyck remains in the national conscious, no matter how the Rangers perform as a team. If he is looking to get one last decent deal, he could do worse than play in a major market. Grzelyck would be the bridge player that allows the Rangers to let Morrow marinate in the AHL for another season. If Sullivan isn’t happy with his in-house options, he might just lean on his relationship with Grzelyck to convince him to come to Broadway.
PRIVACY POLICY EDITORIAL POLICY CONTACT US
ABOUT YARDBARKER TERMS OF SERVICE
Use of this website (including any and all parts and
components) constitutes your acceptance of these
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
This site is for entertainment purposes only.
There is no gambling offered on this site.
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
