Chicago Bulls: Pre-NBA Draft offseason primer, hype manual
There is not a more scrutinized prospect in the draft than Duke’s third wheel.
To preface this segment, I am not a fan of drafting Cam Reddish. I think the risks outweigh the reward. That said, he was once widely seen as a sure-fire NBA prospect. Worst-case scenario, he’d be one of the best three-and-D wings in the league. Best case scenario? The next Paul George.
The size, athleticism, and silky smooth jumper oozed stardom at the professional level.
In one year at Duke, Reddish flashed what the traits that made the PG13 comp sensible. But more often than not, he wasn’t even an average three-and-D wing. Reddish disappeared far too often when the team needed him most. There were plenty of stretches when his offense would be on full display, his jumper, and range on full display.
Then there were games where you had no idea he was on the court.
To put it bluntly, he was by far most inconsistent player in college basketball last year.
It isn’t easy to show what you’re capable of when you’re playing behind Zion and R.J. Barrett. It’s possible that hurt his confidence. It seemed as if he helped himself at the NBA Combine (yes, that’s a thing) with his shooting and testing. Even though most of the drills are a matter of hitting open jumpers.
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The Bulls appeared to have some interest in him at pick seven, but the only reason I could see them gambling on him would be if Garland, White, and Jarrett Culver (more on him next) all went ahead of him.
He would fit the BPA mold in the sense that his upside could really move the needle for this franchise in a couple of years. If they value his potential over a possible reach of one of the aforementioned point guards (or a wild card), then I could see the front office going in that direction.
One caveat to taking Reddish is that Otto Porter has a lock on the small forward position for at least the next two years, assuming he picks up his 2020 player option. Reddish would need to compete with Denzel Valentine and Chandler Hutchison for minutes, which you would think he would be winning no problem. However, given his major inconsistencies last year, that’s no mortal lock.