The Charlotte Hornets have a lot of pressing needs to address this offseason. While finding another star should probably be one of their priorities, they also must fill the roster with dependable role players. A guy they should take a look at is Cam Whitmore of the Houston Rockets.
Since falling to the 20th spot in the 2023 draft, despite some folks expecting him to be a lottery pick, he has yet to prove capable of locking up a full-time rotation spot. Partly for that reason, it might be time for Houston to move on from him and ship him to a different team.
Judging by his talent, Whitmore should be getting plenty of burn on the Rockets. However, he has played sparingly, particularly in this year's playoffs when he suited up in just three games (and a total of six minutes) in the Rockets' 4-3 loss to the Golden State Warriors in the first round.
It appears some franchises are interested in trading for the forward, with Kelly Iko of The Athletic (subscription required) reporting recently that a "handful of teams" have already asked if Whitmore is available. It's unclear if the Hornets are among them, but they probably should be.
Hornets could use someone like Whitmore
While Charlotte hunts for a potential star to complement LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller, the front office must avoid taking depth for granted.
The current Finals matchup has shown that having a deep squad is key to making a run to the Finals. Both the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder boast of a roster with at least eight productive pieces. The series opener even saw each bench platoon combine for at least 28 points. For one contest, though, it was the Pacers' depth that stood out, allowing the Eastern Conference champs to withstand Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's 38-point outburst and setting up Tyrese Haliburton's game-winner.
If the Hornets manage to add Whitmore, they could have another key offensive weapon off the bench. Some might argue that he should get a chance to compete for a starting lineup, but until the 20-year-old hoopster hones his skills further and develops his defense, he has a weak case to receive such a promotion.
Charlotte might not need to give up a lot to acquire the former Villanova University standout, as the Rockets don't have enough leverage in potential trade talks. However, a possible hurdle for the Hive is that Houston could opt to use him in a bigger trade, such as its reported pursuit of Kevin Durant. Also, the most likely outcome appears to be Whitmore staying with the Rockets and finding common ground with the coaching staff regarding his playing time.
In that case, the Hornets could, of course, pivot to other targets. What's important is that they seek players this offseason who can elevate their offense, which ranked at the bottom in several metrics, and improve their depth.