Training camp for the 2023-24 NBA season is slowly but surely approaching, and while there is plenty of time before it begins, it’s time for players to start ramping up their training and preparation.
That’s especially true for the Los Angeles Lakers, who are hoping to win their 18th world championship next summer. They magically remade what was a broken roster in January and February, and now they’re aiming for the sky rather than just trying to tread water.
They signed free agent forward Cam Reddish a few weeks ago, and he is someone considered to have potential. However, he hasn’t tapped into it yet in four pro seasons.
Reddish will get another chance to put it all together, this time with the Purple and Gold. Here are three goals that, if accomplished, would help him do so.
Become a good 3-point shooter
So far in his NBA career, Reddish has connected on just 32.2 percent of his 3-point attempts. His best season in that department was the 2021-22 campaign when he shot 35.9 percent from downtown.
The Lakers still need improvement with their 3-point shooting, and if Reddish builds on what he did early that season as a member of the Atlanta Hawks, it would help him earn some meaningful playing time.
Become a standout defender
Head coach Darvin Ham has built a culture that is based on defense, and he insists that everyone who gets meaningful playing time gives 100 percent on the defensive end.
With a 7-foot-1 wingspan, Reddish has the natural ability to guard players at multiple positions and make an impact on that end of the floor. But he hasn’t consistently shown any significant production on that end of the floor.
The quickest and best way for Reddish to endear himself to his new coach is to excel on the defensive end.
Embrace a new beginning
One’s past doesn’t have to equal one’s future, and Reddish is still young enough to turn his career around.
Perhaps he can look at the career of Trevor Ariza, a forward similar in build to him. Ariza didn’t do much in his first three NBA seasons, but the following year, he was traded to the Lakers, and he quickly started to blossom.
Los Angeles needs productive 3-and-D wings, and Reddish has an opportunity to become one for the first time.
