Cam Whitmore could finally get his chance to shine if the latest rumors are true

The Houston Rockets haven't been able to find opportunities for all of their young players.

That's a product of drafting so many young players and then pivoting to win-now mode. The Rockets won't put players on the floor if they're not ready to contribute, no matter how high their potential.

It's been an issue for Cam Whitmore.

This has been a regular topic of discussion. Some Rockets fans feel Whitmore has gotten a raw deal. They believe he's got star upside in the NBA, and the Rockets are doing little to actualize that potential.

Others would trade him for a sack of magic beans. They're fixated on Whitmore's tunnel vision and poor floor awareness. They can't see an avenue to success for Whitmore with the Rockets.

The latter group may get their wish.

Rockets' Whitmore on the trade block

There's no shortage of reporting suggesting that Whitmore is available in trade discussions. The Athletic's Kelly Iko is the latest to report.

This shouldn't come as a surprise. I have discussed Whitmore's flaws ad nauseam. Let's go over it again. Whitmore averages shockingly few assists per 75 possessions. If you want to blame that on team construction, his 16.2 passes per game in 2024-25 were very low for a player with his minutes and usage.

It's not (strictly) that Whitmore's teammates aren't knocking down shots. He just doesn't pass very often. His poor court awareness extends to both ends of the floor. Whitmore frequently looks lost on defensive rotations as well.

All of which has amounted to distrust from Ime Udoka. The Rockets shouldn't give Whitmore away, but if a deal makes sense, they should take advantage of it. Bringing in a player who can help the team right now makes sense with Kevin Durant in the fold:

And a change of scenery could make sense for Whitmore as well.

Rockets' Whitmore still has potential

If the Rockets were still a lottery team, it'd be harder to fixate on Whitmore's flaws. There's plenty to like about this young man's game.

Whitmore averages 22.6 points per 75 possessions throughout his two-year career. His 55.5% True Shooting % (TS%) isn't sterling, but it's weighed down by subpar three-point shooting. He's hitting a strong 66.2% of his field goal attempts between 0 and 3 feet so far.

Whitmore is a strong finisher. He could thrive on a team that doesn't need him to space the floor. Moreover, a marginal spike in three-point accuracy would suddenly make him an efficient offensive player.

He'll need to iron out his flaws, but he's still just 20 years old. Whitmore has potential, but it doesn't feel like the Rockets can provide him with sufficient opportunities to explore it:

No matter who you'd prefer to blame that on.