Rockets Trade Cam Whitmore to Wizards for 2 Second-Round Picks

The Houston Rockets traded Cam Whitmore to the Washington Wizards for two second-round picks, the team announced Sunday.

Washington is sending Houston a 2026 second-round pick from the Chicago Bulls and a 2029 second-round pick from the Sacramento Kings in the deal, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.

Rockets Acquire The Draft Rights To Mojave King

The New Orleans Pelicans are also sending the draft rights to Mojave King to Houston. King was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers with the 47th overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft.

His draft rights were then immediately traded to the Indiana Pacers, who traded his draft rights to New Orleans last month.

Trade rumors involving Whitmore ramped up after Kelly Iko of The Athletic reported on June 27 that the second-year wing was “the subject of a number of trade discussions” in a “situation best described as fluid.”

Per Spotrac, the Rockets picked up his club option at $3.5 million for next season, and he has another team option for $5.5 million for the 2026-27 season. Washington has until Oct. 31 to exercise his 2026-27 option.

Due to an aggregate trade restriction, Whitmore cannot be traded with other players until Sept. 6. That is, of course, if the Wizards plan to move the 6-foot-7 wing.

Whitmore’s Playing Time Declined With Houston

Whitmore, who turns 21 on July 8, was selected 20th overall by the Rockets in the 2023 NBA draft out of Villanova. He averaged 9.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.0 assists in 51 games (three starts) for Houston last season.

His minutes dropped to 16.2 per game in 2024-25 after averaging 18.7 in 2023-24.

Despite playing fewer minutes, he did record a career-high 34 points on 13-of-19 (68.4%) shooting from the field and 7-of-12 (58.3%) from beyond the arc in 37 minutes as a starter against the Lakers on April 11.

The Maryland native also played just 1.7 minutes in three playoff games of Houston’s first-round series. The deal gives Whitmore the opportunity for an increased role for a rebuilding Wizards squad.

Wizards, Rockets Have Had A Busy Offseason

The Wizards have had an active offseason, acquiring veteran guard CJ McCollum and center Kelly Olynyk from New Orleans for guard Jordan Poole and wing Saddiq Bey.

Washington also selected Texas guard Tre Johnson with the No. 5 pick in last month’s draft.

Houston, meanwhile, negotiated a blockbuster trade with the Phoenix Suns for Kevin Durant and added veteran wing Dorian Finney-Smith and center Clint Capela in free agency.

Since the Rockets added Durant and with Reed Sheppard entering his second year, Whitmore would have saw less playing time in 2025-26 under head coach Ime Udoka.

Whitmore will now have the chance to become a breakout star with a larger role with Washington.