2 Blazers that have earned untouchable status, 3 that should be cut loose

Cut loose No. 2: Cam Reddish

Cam Reddish was acquired in the trade deadline move that sent Josh Hart to New York Knicks.

Reddish is a restricted free agent this offseason, and he makes the list as a cut-loose player because of the potential size of his contract relative to his impact.

The concern is that a team takes a chance on Reddish’s upside and offers him a contract not worth matching. He is still only 23, is a former No. 10 overall pick, and has drawn much praise from other NBA players for his talent.

Reddish has shown improvement, but he’s still an inefficient scorer, shooting 40 percent from the field and 32 percent from three in his career. Additionally, he could be a better rebounder and playmaker, averaging 2.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists this season.

The Blazers need wing help but want to avoid locking themselves into anything that will negate their long-term flexibility (unless it’s a reliable starter).

This article references Sportrac’s player value tool, which suggests that it’s possible to bring him back on a three-year deal worth around $20-25 million.

Even if his salary is around $8 million annually, that’s betting on Reddish’s future improvement. It’s too risky of a proposition, considering that  Lillard is 32 and needs to win sooner rather than later.

If the Blazers let Reddish walk, they’ll still have the Knicks’ first-round pick to show for the Hart trade, who was on an expiring contract anyway.