Los Angeles Lakers to Trade for Rockets’ Cam Whitmore

Cam Whitmore is one of the most mis-understood players in the NBA, and one who truly can be a star. Lakers fans may be weary of a player who’s a career 11 PPG scorer, but let me break down why he could step in and immediately become a Star.

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Cam Whitmore to Lakers Trade Proposal

This one-handed alleyoop slam from Cam Whitmore is just plain nasty pic.twitter.com/sMpnwTCcKh

— ClutchFans (@clutchfans) January 23, 2025

Rockets Receive: 2026 LAL 1st Round Pick

Lakers Receive: F Cam Whitmore 2025 HOU 2nd Round

 

Let’s take a deep-dive into why Whitmore’s tenure with the Rockets isn’t what it seems. First off, he’s not getting a ton of minutes because of the pure talent on the Rockets lineup. Here’s the list of wings that play ahead of Cam: Dillon Brooks, Jabari Smith Jr, Amen Thompson, and Tari Eason. 

All solid wings that are doing well for Houston, but no other team has that depth of wings. Whitmore is a pure scorer who truly can do it at all three levels. Over the past two months, he’s shooting 39% from three while taking 9 shots in 18 minutes a game.

Cam Whitmore started the season 1-21 from 3 and out of the rotation. Since returning from the Vipers December 19th he is 24-57 2nd on the team to Tate in 3-point percentage and has played in every game since his return.

What a turnaround for Whitmore. pic.twitter.com/B6rL4qE0yE

— Lachard Binkley (@BinkleyHoops) January 14, 2025

His role for a team should totally be as a 25-30 minutes a night guy as the first man off the bench, and an eventual starter. Many times for Houston he immediately comes in with the second unit and provides a much needed boost. His +- for the 2025 season is currently +5.1 which disproves any notion that he’s a “selfish” player. He may be a “score first guy” but that role is in extremely high demand for certain teams like the Lakers they need that filled badly.

Character Concerns With Whitmore?

Whitmore was a consensus Top-10 Pick from NBA Draft media, but there were some off-court concerns / medicals that caused him to fall all the way to Pick 20. Recently, this has reared it’s head as Whitmore has appeared to be frustrated at times with his role.

“I really don’t know. I have a lot of question marks for myself, just as you guys do. But yeah, I have no idea. I don’t know what other things I can do,”

Couldn’t get the whole interview but if someone finds it share it. A really weird Cam Whitmore interview in the postgame with him visibly frustrated with his usage and role. pic.twitter.com/ibsluJp0bZ

— winston #the6foot5 (@the6foot5) January 2, 2025

All in all, this sounds like a player who truly wants a chance to prove himself, and the Lakers are a team that really needs a young star to look forward to the future. They drafted Dalton Knecht who could develop into that next star, as well as Bronny James who has quickly proven himself as a G-League star. Adding Whitmore to this team who also has a young stud role player in Max Christie would truly set this team up with a solid set of role players.

Whitmore currently averages 23 PPG per 36 minutes, but if he ever were to be given a starter or a 6th man role, we will see him widely regarded as one of the best scorers in the NBA.