Rockets helped Cam Whitmore dig his own grave with stunning Wizards trade

The Houston Rockets and Cam Whitmore were never a good pair.

That's life in the National Basketball Association. The Rockets had the 4th and 20th picks in the 2023 NBA Draft. It was rumored that they were torn between Whitmore and Amen Thompson with the fourth pick. Ultimately, concerns about Whitmore's allegedly selfish brand of basketball and level of maturity likely led them to Thompson:

But when Whitmore was still on the board at 20, how could they pass on him?

The Rockets were in the business of stockpiling talent. Flash forward two years, and they're in a different business. The Rockets want to win at all costs, so they sent Whitmore to the Wizards for a paltry return.

They didn't necessarily do Whitmore any favors, either.

Former Rockets wing may struggle in Washington

Let's be clear - this is a better situation for Whitmore. The tanking Wizards will be less concerned with his glaring flaws. They'll be more focused on his obvious talents. That's good for him.

That said, he's not the only young player they need to develop. The Wizards specifically have wing depth. Where will he squeeze into this rotation?

Washington will surely prioritize Bilal Coulibaly over Whitmore. They chose Coulibaly over Whitmore in the same draft. Coulibaly is one of the brightest young defensive wings in the league. He's arguably the most important player on this roster right now.

Will Whitmore earn a place ahead of Corey Kispert? It's hard to say. Whitmore is distinctly more talented, but Kispert is an elite shooter. That complementary skill may earn him the nod ahead of Whitmore in plenty of situations.

Do the Wizards intend to strictly play the kids? Or, do they want to put some veterans on the floor so their youth can learn from them in real time? If so, Khris Middleton will be ahead of Whitmore in their rotation as well.

Finally, the Wizards selected Tre Johnson in this year's lottery. He's got a similar profile to Whitmore. Johnson is a 6'5" guard/wing with a score-first mindset. He's likely to be a priority over Whitmore as well:

How is he going to get on the floor?

Whitmore needs to overcome flaws he displayed with the Rockets

In the same way that he could have gotten on the floor for the Rockets.

Whitmore needs to pass - like, ever. He doesn't need to morph into Magic Johnson overnight, but if he remains entirely unwilling to give up the rock, he won't endear himself to his new organization.

He also needs to focus on his defensive awareness. Whitmore can create chaos in the passing lanes, but he tends to fall asleep and lose his man too often. The Wizards won't elevate him over their other young wings if he doesn't fix that issue.

The sun has set on his time in Houston. Soon, he won't be a subject on SpaceCityScoop. If this is the last Whitmore article, let it be said that the kid still has plenty of potential. He was never going to reach it in Houston:

Let's see what he can do in Washington.