As the 2019 NBA Draft approaches, Duke forward Cam Reddish has NBA fans torn. Would drafting him make sense for the Chicago Bulls?
The 2018-19 season was a special one for the Duke Blue Devils. They landed the top-3 freshman in the country and they had a thrilling NCAA Tournament run that ended in the Elite Eight.
Two of Duke’s elite freshmen (Zion Williamson and R.J. Barrett) are likely to be drafted within the first three picks of the 2019 NBA Draft on June 20. The draft status of the third Duke superstar, Cam Reddish, is a little more of a mystery, though.
Reddish’s skill level is as good as anyone’s. He has a silky smooth jumper that extends way beyond the 3-point line, he can create looks for himself inside the arc, he can make plays for his teammates and he can guard multiple positions.
The biggest question marks with Reddish are his intangibles. He often disappears for lengthy stretches of games and seems to lack that alpha-dog mentality that so many NBA teams covet. In some ways, he’s really similar to Otto Porter Jr., which can be looked at as both a good and a bad thing.
Just like Porter, Reddish will have moments where he looks like the best offensive basketball player alive. Then he’ll have stretches where he’s reluctant to shoot the ball. Unselfishness isn’t a bad thing by any means, but if it’s his confidence that’s lacking, then that becomes an issue.
Reddish has the skill level to be the best player in the 2019 NBA Draft. He has the perfect style of play for today’s NBA. A 6’9″ scorer with unlimited range that can switch 1-4 on defense? Those guys don’t grow on trees. But if he lacks the confidence to be a primary scoring option, he’ll quickly turn into just a spot-up shooter.
That’s the biggest concern with Reddish. Are you getting a future go-to scorer, or are you getting a role player? There’s a big difference.
For the Chicago Bulls, the fit with Reddish is pretty interesting. Right now, he’s a poor man’s Otto Porter Jr. That means he could take the next two years (the likely amount of time Porter will be with the Bulls) to learn from Porter and play in a reserve role. Then, when (if) Porter leaves, Reddish could slot in as the starting three.
Taking Reddish only makes sense for the Bulls if they’re drafting outside of the top-5. If the Bulls have a top-5 pick, they need to be going after a guy like Zion Williamson, R.J. Barrett, Ja Morant, Jarrett Culver or Darius Garland. After those guys, though, it gets a little foggy as far as the Bulls’ top options go.
Hopefully, the ping pong balls are kind to the Bulls and make their draft decision relatively easy. But if they get unlucky on May 14, Reddish is a guy that could still provide Bulls fans with some hope. He’s a high-character kid with an equally high ceiling. He just needs to develop some more confidence.