The Houston Rockets saw the writing on the wall. After trading for Kevin Durant, signing Dorian Finney-Smith in free agency, and re-signing Jabari Smith Jr. to a lucrative extension, there wasn't much room, if any at all, for an emerging wing on the roster. That's not even including Amen Thompson, who might be the Rockets' best player in a season or two.
Despite possessing a sky-high ceiling, 20-year-old wing Cam Whitmore was the odd man out in Houston. Even without Durant and Finney-Smith in town, Whitmore appeared in only 98 games and averaged 17.4 minutes per contest across two seasons.
The burgeoning talent was widely expected to be dealt, and he received his wish on July 5. Houston sent Whitmore to the Washington Wizards in exchange for two second-round picks. It didn't take much at all for the Wizards to nab a young, premier talent.
This low-key transaction is surely triggering for Chicago Bulls fans. Not long ago, it was reported that the Bulls were interested in Whitmore. From what started as merely hypothetical turned legitimate in a matter of weeks.
The Bulls missed out on acquiring Whitmore for cheap
Yet, instead of trading for Whitmore, the Bulls pivoted to Isaac Okoro. Except, rather than shelling out a few future second-rounders, Chicago sent a quality contributor, Lonzo Ball, to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Okoro. The former fifth-overall pick is talented, sure. However, he's failed to live up to his draft pedigree and is due $22.8 million over the next two seasons. Conversely, Ball is playing on a two-year pact worth $20 million, which includes a team option after next year.
Among the three players, Whitmore has contributed the least. But he's the youngest, turning 21 on July 8, and consequently earns the least. Whitmore is due $3.5 million next season and $5.4 million in 2026-27. An argument can be made that the Villanova product will be up for a big raise, especially if he rounds his game, but the same can be said of Okoro, who's yet to scratch his ceiling.
Moreover, there's enough room on the roster for both Okoro and Whitmore. Instead of staying complacent, with the Bulls' current roster, Vice President of Basketball Operations Artūras Karnišovas could have also added Whitmore to the mix alongside the former Cavalier.
While trading for Whitmore, using only two second-rounders (which is financially acceptable by the way) would have capped Chicago's roster, and an ensuing trade or transaction could be made to add such an intriguing talent.
For instance, jettisoning Julian Phillips, who, like Whitmore, is now the odd man out in Chicago, or waiving and stretching Jevon Carter to open a roster spot for the 6-foot-7 wing, is completely logical to infuse the roster with another emerging talent.
Adding another wing isn't a necessity at this point; the Bulls have completely revamped their wing unit this offseason. Nonetheless, Whitmore provides an entirely different dimension than any of the recently acquired wings. He's an unrelenting shotmaker, one who is bold yet efficient. The Bulls missed out on acquiring Whitmore—props to the Wizards for another underrated transaction.