Cam Whitmore is proving he belongs in the Rockets' rotation

The Houston Rockets have a surplus of young talent.

It's a rich person's problem. If you're a Rockets fan, don't make this complaint to fans of other rebuilding teams:

"Ugh. We just have too much potential!".

Still, the team's depth of young talent can be problematic. Quality players are struggling to find their way in the team's rotation. Just look at Cam Whitmore.

At times in the 2023 NBA Draft cycle, Whitmore seemed like a lock to land in the top-5. When the Pistons called Ausar Thompson's name at 5, there was surprise. When the Magic opted for Anthony Black, that surprise escalated.

When the Rockets nabbed Whitmore with the 20th pick, there was a bonafide shock.

Whitmore could be the steal of the draft - but he has to get on the floor. For much of 2024-25, that's been a challenge for him. Recently, he's found his way back into the rotation:

And he's proving that decision to be correct.

Rockets' Whitmore is salvaging his season

In Whitmore's last three games, he's averaging 18.3 points and 5.3 rebounds. Whitmore is shooting 52.3% from the field and 44.4% from three-point range for the entire month of December. Whitmore is back, and he's better than ever.

Notably, his point totals have increased in each of those last three contests - as have his minutes. Whitmore is earning Ime Udoka's trust, and he deserves it.

He's not perfect. Going back to that 3-game sample, Whitmore is averaging just 1.0 assist per game. This has been the biggest knock on Whitmore. He doesn't need to evolve into a passing maestro, but he needs to work on the tunnel vision that likely caused him to slip in the draft.

Defensively, Whitmore is complicated. He's got a nose for the ball - Whitmore can play the passing lanes and trigger a fastbreak. That said, he sometimes struggles to contain perimeter penetration in one-on-one settings, and he can lose his man off-ball.

Should the Rockets live with his flaws?

Rockets should be encouraged by Whitmore's progress

Sure.

Name a player on the Rockets who isn't flawed. For that matter - name a player in the NBA who isn't flawed.

Perhaps that's a logical leap. The league's best players don't have potentially fatal flaws like Whitmore's floor vision. To be sure, he needs to improve in that area.

Whitmore is also a sophomore - and a young one at that. This is a 20-year-old man. Whitmore can't legally buy a drink unless the Rockets are visiting the Raptors. Why should we expect him to make the right read in a pick-and-roll?

He needs to work on his passing, but Whitmore has tremendous potential. Even if the Rockets don't think he's part of their long-term future, he's bolstering his trade value with his recent play.

For a team with excessive young talent, that could be its own benefit.