Why Cam Whitmore could be the Houston Rockets' odd man out

Math can get pretty complicated, but sometimes, it's simple.

The Houston Rockets have a "core seven" of young players. There are five players in an NBA starting lineup. There's often a substantial role available for a sixth man in a team's rotation. You can do the math:

Somebody is going to get left out.

It's not a secret. The Rockets are inevitably going to have to make a consolidation trade. All seven of these guys will not spend their entire careers together in Houston. The only way that could be financially viable would be if one (or more) of them were relegated to such a minimal role that their presence on the team became inconsequential.

If any of these seven guys found themselves in that position, they'd likely look for a change of scenery. Still, somebody here is going to have to be the seventh man.

Our money is on Cam Whitmore.

Whitmore's role with the Rockets is unclear

It feels crazy even to say that out loud. Whitmore flashed enormous potential throughout his 2023-24 rookie season.

He averaged an impressive 23.9 points per 75 possessions. With a solid 56.1 True Shooting % (TS%) to boot, you're probably questioning our assertion already. Whitmore scored with impressive volume on reasonable efficiency. Why would he be the Rockets' odd man out?

Let's talk about some other per 75 possession stat. Whitmore dished out 1.35 assists per 75, and turned the ball over 1.88 times per game by the same measure.

Everybody doesn't have to be a playmaker. Some players are pure scorers, and if they're surrounded by playmaking, they can still impact the game. Still, Whitmore demonstrated a particularly poor ability to find his teammates. Without making strides in that area, he may struggle to carve out a starting-level NBA role.

In this case, it doesn't help that another scorer has proven himself a better teammate.

Whitmore has an internal competition to win

If Whitmore is going to reach his potential in Houston, he may need Jalen Green to fail.

We know. Nobody likes to pit teammates against each other. Unfortunately, there's an element of internal competition on every NBA team.

Green had a largely underwhelming 2023-24 season. He still flashed enough potential towards the end of the season to raise some questions. Moreover, while he's not a gifted passer, Green has shown far more willingness to get his teammates involved than Whitmore.

This is a big season for Green. He's staring a potential contract extension in the face. It's a less consequential year for Whitmore - he's a sophomore. Marginal gains will suffice in Whitmore's case.

How often will he get on the floor to showcase those gains if he's made them? Reed Sheppard is likely to showcase a more portable skillset with his superior shooting and playmaking. If Green does take a star turn, Whitmore could be seeing more time on the bench than he'd like.

Let's suppose Green falters. The Rockets will likely look to move him by the deadline. They will also likely look to replace - and upgrade - his skillset. If the Rockets bring a star scoring guard in, he'll also impede Whitmore's path.

We don't mean to question Whitmore's potential. He can be a star in this league. That said, barring unforeseen developments, he feels like the best bet to thrive elsewhere out of the team's core 7.