Rockets will immediately regret the Cam Whitmore trade

The Houston Rockets traded Cam Whitmore for a pair of second-round picks this summer. They may live to regret that decision.

Some Rockets fans will disagree. They'll argue that Whitmore isn't ready to play winning basketball. That's valid. Whitmore was indeed a black hole offensively and frequently lost on defense.

That's fine. The Rockets may not miss Whitmore. It's not losing him that they'll regret:

It's the paltry return that they received for him.

Rockets didn't get enough for Cam Whitmore

That's seemingly why Bleacher Report just named the Whitmore trade as one of the 2025 NBA offseason moves that will age the most poorly.

It's a fair argument. The Rockets moved Whitmore for practically nothing. They went on to sign Josh Okogie on a deal that's comparable to Whitmore's.

Is it possible that Whitmore would have been as helpful as Okogie in 2025-26? If so, isn't it possible that Houston could have traded Whitmore for more than a pair of second-round picks?

It's easy to criticize Whitmore's game. It has plenty of holes. Still, one thing is undeniable:

He's got potential.

Rockets could watch Whitmore grow elsewhere

Bleacher Report was quick to identify that potential.

"Among every player to log as much court time through their first two seasons over the last 25 years, here's the list of names to average more than 20 points per 36 minutes while matching Whitmore's effective field-goal percentage: Chet Holmgren, Victor Wembanyama, Zion Williamson, Naz Reid, Michael Porter Jr., Jaren Jackson Jr., Karl-Anthony Towns, Shaquille O'Neal and David Robinson."

- Dan Favale, Bleacher Report

That's a staggering statistic.

Michael Porter Jr. and Naz Reid are the worst players in that group. They're both flawed players. Porter Jr. in particular isn't necessarily a guy you want on your payroll:

Still, their market value, even on their current contracts, certainly exceeds a pair of second-rounders.

What was the rush to trade Whitmore? The Rockets could have kept him on the roster up to next summer. They could have lost him in restricted free agency (RFA). What's the opportunity cost there?

...A pair of second-round picks.

It's been suggested that the Rockets sent Whitmore to a team where he'd find an opportunity in an effort to maintain strong player and agent relations. Yes, that type of political maneuvering counts. It doesn't count as much as extracting maximum value from your assets.

Besides, any team offering Whitmore a deal as an RFA would presumably have an opportunity for him. Any team that was willing to surrender real value for him would presumably have had a role in mind for him. The Rockets should have at least waited to see if they could get a better return for Whitmore at the deadline:

Now, they may live to regret their choices.