New York Took a Cheap Swing on Cam Reddish
The Knicks acquired Cam Reddish, Solomon Hill and Brooklyn's 2025 second-round pick from Atlanta for Kevin Knox II and Charlotte's protected first-round obligation. The first was protected through 2025 and would become Charlotte's 2026 and 2027 second-round picks if it never conveyed. That structure made the trade a calculated upside play for New York: Reddish was a 22-year-old former top-10 pick, Knox was already outside the Knicks' rotation, and New York also received a second-round asset back in the deal.
Reddish Never Became a Core Knick
The upside bet did not turn into a long-term answer. Reddish played 15 games for New York after the trade in 2021-22 and 20 more in 2022-23, totaling 35 regular-season appearances, eight starts and 653 minutes. His role fluctuated under Tom Thibodeau and he eventually fell out of the rotation. Solomon Hill did not add on-court value for New York and was waived six days after the trade. The player return therefore fell well short of the star-level outcome the Knicks hoped Reddish might reach.
The Knicks Still Recycled Both Meaningful Assets
New York did recover value from the pieces it acquired. Reddish was included in the February 2023 package that brought Josh Hart from Portland, though the Knicks also surrendered a protected first-round pick and other assets in that deal, so Reddish should not be credited as the sole price for Hart. The 2025 Brooklyn second later became the No. 36 pick and was included in the 2024 Mikal Bridges trade with the Nets. Neither downstream move makes the Reddish trade a home run, but both show that New York retained useful asset value after the original experiment stalled.
Atlanta Never Got the First-Round Pick It Wanted
Atlanta's side aged less favorably than the original B+ grade suggested. Knox played 17 games and 111 minutes for the Hawks, averaging 2.7 points, before leaving after the season. More importantly, Charlotte's protected first never conveyed. The obligation instead converted into Charlotte's 2026 second-round pick, which became No. 45, plus a 2027 second-round pick that is still future as of this review. Those seconds preserve some value for Atlanta, but they are a clear step down from the first-round asset that drove the trade logic in January 2022.
Final Verdict
Knicks Win — New York B-, Atlanta C+. Cam Reddish never became a lasting rotation piece in New York, but the Knicks paid a modest price, received the 2025 Brooklyn second in the same trade and later reused both Reddish and that pick in larger deals. Atlanta got only 17 low-minute games from Kevin Knox II, and the protected Charlotte first never conveyed, leaving the Hawks with the 2026 No. 45 second-round pick and a future 2027 second. The remaining 2027 asset could improve Atlanta's final return, but through the current checkpoint New York produced the stronger realized package.