1 Young Rocket who must step up after Kevin Durant acquisition

Houston Rockets fans are still buzzing about the acquisition of Kevin Durant. This is precisely the player this team needed. Now, the Rockets have their "closer".

There's no shortage of talent around Durant. He and Alperen Sengun should form the Rockets' one-two punch offensively. Amen Thompson will anchor the defense. Houston can count on Tari Eason and Jabari Smith Jr. to contribute as well. Presumably, Fred VanVleet will be back.

Still, the trade leaves the Rockets with some questions. They lost an off-guard in Jalen Green. It's a position Dillon Brooks could man for stretches as well. Now, Houston looks a bit light in the backcourt.

They'll likely look to add a guard with their Mid-Level Exception (MLE). That said, they could have an internal answer:

It would just require one of their returning players to fill some gaps in his game.

Rockets need young forward to step up

You guessed it:

Cam Whitmore.

Sure, Whitmore is primarily a 3. In a positionless NBA, the 6'5" wing can handle time at the 2. Realistically, it doesn't matter where Whitmore plays:

He just needs to play better basketball.

To begin with, Whitmore has shot 35.7% from long range throughout his brief NBA career. That number needs to come up. Still, that's hardly the biggest concern with Whitmore's game.

You've heard this before. It's Whitmore's offensive approach. He's a remarkably talented scorer, but he needs to find ways to impact the game without scoring. In 2024-25, Whitmore's 8.9% Assist Percentage was comically low. For reference, Green's was 16.0%.

Jalen Green is not a renowned playmaker. It's concerning that his Assist Percentage nearly doubled Whitmore's. This is the main area that Whitmore needs to improve in.

He also needs to work on his defensive awareness. Whitmore is a strong 6'5" - he should be able to contain rival guards at the point of attack. His tendency to fall asleep when it's time to rotate has likely kept him out of Ime Udoka's rotation. So, there's a lot for Whitmore to work on:

If he can do the work, he could be a big part of the Rockets next year.

Rockets need a player like Whitmore

The Rockets traded their leading scorer for a new leading scorer. It was a smart decision. Durant's efficiency towers over Green's. Adding a new primary shot maker will make them a meaningfully better team.

Still, it holds that the Rockets could use an additional scorer. Whitmore could be that guy. It's fine if his primary responsibility is scoring as well. The Rockets don't need him to be a passing virtuoso. Sengun, Thompson, and VanVleet are all sound in that area.

They do need Whitmore to be a more willing passer and a functional defender. If he can improve in those two areas, he can be a major piece for the Rockets in 2025-26:

If he can't, he won't be part of the buzz around Houston.