Cam Whitmore Reportedly Traded to Wizards, Rockets Get 2 Second-Round NBA Draft Picks
The Houston Rockets have traded Cam Whitmore to the Washington Wizards in exchange for two second-round draft picks, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.
The move comes as no surprise after Kelly Iko of The Athletic reported on June 27 that Whitmore was "the subject of a number of trade discussions" in a "situation best described as fluid."
The Rockets selected the former Villanova star with the 20th overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft. Last season, the 6'7", 232-pound small forward averaged 9.4 points on 44.4 percent shooting (35.5 percent from three) and 3.0 rebounds per game.
Whitmore has certainly proven to be productive when given the opportunity. For example, he dropped 34 points on 13-of-19 shooting against the Los Angeles Lakers on April 11. Whitmore also dominated against the Oklahoma City Thunder on March 3, pouring in 27 points, 11 rebounds, three blocks and two steals.
The problem is Whitmore is blocked from getting more meaningful minutes on a deep and talented team that just finished second in the Western Conference playoffs and began their rise up the standings the year before after a quick post-James Harden era rebuild.
Whitmore played just 16.2 minutes over 51 games (three starts) last season. He also was sent to the G-League for work for the second straight year (over 24 games in two seasons, Whitmore's averaged 23.0 PPG on that level).
Whitmore has missed time over the past couple of years due to injury, unfortunately (e.g. sprained LCL in his right knee, left knee soreness this year). But much more often than not, he's been good to go.
In addition, Whitmore will be 21 years old by the time next season hits. He has plenty of time to grow and develop and has already shown flashes of offensive brilliance.
Ultimately, it didn't work out in Houston, but on the Wizards, Whitmore could certainly have a chance to fully shine and flourish, as evidenced in small samples when given a shot.
