The struggling sophomore gets an opportunity to rediscover his shot.
The Houston Rockets have assigned talented second-year swingman, Cam Whitmore, to their G League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. This news should come as no surprise as Whitmore has seen his playing time cut drastically over the first eight games of the regular season. Monday’s victory over the New York Knicks capped an unfortunate start to the season for Whitmore as he received a DNP and was pulled from the rotation entirely.
Per the Rockets, Cam Whitmore has been assigned to their NBA G League affiliate, Rio Grande Valley.
— Vanessa Richardson (@SportsVanessa) November 7, 2024
The high-flying Whitmore’s struggles have mostly been encapsulated in his poor shooting as he has only connected on 1-of-18 shots from three-point range so far. The lack of notable production elsewhere coupled with being on a Rockets team that isn’t short on depth made this decision an easier one than most would think. In the G League, Whitmore will have more opportunities to rediscover the version of himself that flashed tantalizing skills during his rookie year, Summer League, and preseason.
This won’t be his first stint with the RGV Vipers either. If you recall, Whitmore lit up the minor league last year going for 26 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals per game on 48/39/80 splits through 13 games. This could turn out to be a short stint for the sophomore if he’s able to mimic last year’s performance en route to regaining his form.
The 240-minute conundrum was bound to rear its head one way or another, it just happens that Whitmore became the odd man out. In his place, expect to see more Reed Sheppard, as we did in his season-high 20 minute outing during last night’s victory over the San Antonio Spurs. The dynamic duo of Tari Eason and Amen Thompson off the bench also figure to absorb more of what were Whitmore’s minutes as they are becoming increasingly more difficult to keep off the court.
While it may be disappointing to some that Whitmore isn’t contributing at the level we may have hoped for, please understand that this is the correct move. It’s in the best interest of the Rockets, Whitmore, and the future. Once Whitmore improves on what he needs to, he and the team will reconvene, and he will be another asset — on the court — for Ime Udoka and the Rockets.