Rockets Trade Cam Whitmore to Wizards for Draft Picks

Per Charania, Houston worked with the former No. 20 pick and his representation over the last several weeks on finding the perfect landing spot.

Whitmore was one of the biggest sliders at the 2023 NBA Draft, once thought of to be a top-five pick, but then falling into Houston’s lap near the end of the first round. He saw a promising rookie season, but failed to improve in Year 2, instead falling somewhat behind in a Rockets core that finished No. 2 in the Western Conference.

Across his two seasons with Houston, Whitmore has averaged 10.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, 0.8 assists and 0.6 steals while shooting 45% overall and 36% from beyond the arc.

With the Rockets winning the offseason so far — trading for Kevin Durant, as well as signing players such as Dorian Finney-Smith and more — it seemed like Whitmore’s role was set to take yet another hit, leading to the trade.

The return doesn’t seem great for Houston at first glance, with the team taking back two future second round picks. But there’s little question top decision-maker Rafael Stone and co. did their due diligence in broaching Whitmore trades, meaning the market likely wasn’t there.

Whitmore wasn’t shy about his lack of playing time in Houston, and back in the pre-draft process reportedly had a few bad interviews. Regardless, he offers Washington a reclamation project on the wing who should pack an offensive punch with room for growth.

The Wizards have been among the worst teams in the league the past few seasons, opting for higher draft picks opposed to competing in the East. This year, they signed on No. 6 pick Tre Johnson, another talented scorer on the wing.