Cam Whitmore traded to Wizards for 2 2nd round picks

Disgruntled faker, wanted to be traded Hakeem early 90's was like

 

I've never disagreed with your take on Cam because I've shared it from the start. He could be as good as he will allow himself to be, but I also thought the same about KPJ and Christian Wood, and neither one of them ever learned how to get out of their own way. Cam has superstar potential, much greater than Wood or KPJ, so I hated trading that away for peanuts, but we don't see what the organization sees being around him every single day. It feels like Cam desperately needs a strong mentor. I'm not sure if he will ever listen to anyone though. If not, that talent will only take him so far.

 

I agree with DD. Cam was only 19/. Younger than Reed. You guys were so willing to keep and cheer on Reed and literally showed NOTHING. Now look at him! Cam was younger and showed more promise. He could’ve still been coached up and been a HUGE asset to this team. Nobody knows what’s going on behind the scenes but he’s just a kid and will mature.

 

Yeah you'd be surprised how much people would forgive Harden if he carried us to back-to-back titles after that.

 

Reed showed he understood and was willing to work hard on what the coach asked. Cam did not. That is more important for a young player's development than 'promise' ... perhaps Cam will mature, but that is a pure wish with no evidence other than 'he's young.' Plenty of young people never mature, and plenty of promising players are in China or retired.

 

1.8 assists per 36 minutes, the worst on an awful Wizards team, while having the 3rd highest usage rate.

He's certainly not the reason they suck, but even on an awful, tanking team the coach can see how awful his me,me,me approach to the game is. I simply don't think he realizes that he even has a problem that needs to be fixed.

 

I don't think he does, he is a number 1 option, needs to lean into him and it will open up the rest of his game.

DD

 

He has no “rest of his game”.

 

The difference between Cam and Reed is very clear: attitude, which comes with work ethic and coachability.

I never hate a player for his lack of talent. I always dislike players who have bad attitude. A guy who is hungry to improve himself and is smart enough to know what to work on will very likely succeed. A guy who thinks he's better than what he really is and doesn't know or doesn't want what he needs to do to improve will likely fail.

 

Like the great, clap-clap Kevin McHale once said: "you have to out-work your talent." This is a quote that should be shown to Cam

 

I am not quick to judge, there must be some reasons ...from his upbringing or childhood....

He is an enigma and the Rockets never had much patience with those players in the past......even with someone like Spanoulis who was just homesick.

But again the Rockets are just drawn to those players that are also athletic, recently KPJ, Jalen Green, Cam Whitmore, Amen Thompson, KJ Martin.....

Some work out, the majority don't.

 

Not sure what it means for Whitmore but Kispert has been playing well lately and promoted to the Starters.

Also Sarr is gradually becoming a terror, so mobile.

 

The other day I randomly sat next to .. let’s just say a former star wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys (whose first name rhymes with Fez) at a bar, and I was reminded 45 seconds in that some athletes are just always emotionally immature and unstable due to a million reasons, and that they will probably never truly grow up even into their 40’s.

I have no idea if Cam is a headcase or not but if the decision was made based on character they thought he could never really mature out of then I totally understand moving him.

I think we need to talk more about the psychology of star high school athlete that rise to stardom at such a young age, and cannot mature. There’s something about child stardom that can just break people for their entire lives.

By the way “Fez” was obviously on something and downed more mai tais in 30 minutes than I can during a 7 day carnival cruise. If he didn’t grow out of his issues by now then there’s unfortunately good reason for the Rockets to understand psychological profiles and do an early risk assessment of their talent is worth it.

 

And mentality aside, Cam dropping a goose egg tonight in a blowout win is good evidence that even if he isn’t a headcase that his talent still might not be that valuable.

Hope he turns it around and finds a career in the league at some point.

 

Mario Elie and PJ Tucker are my 2 favorite Rox-centric examples of this.

 

And Chuck Hayes should have no business having a 10-year career in the NBA with his talent level. He was the starting center for a coach who's known to prioritize offense.

 

When he left Texas a year early, I couldn't for the life of me imagine why. A 6'5 big man with no jump shot and middling athleticism....and he did indeed find himself out of the league almost immediately.

But I'll be damned if he didn't keep his nose to the grindstone until he put together an NBA viable skillset.

 

I went to a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader wedding a long time ago. I think i can remember fez gettting loaded that night while he was still playing.

 

I'm still shocked at PJ Tucker's career. He was a really, really good (2nd team All American his last year at UT) 6'4ish low post PF bruiser who never took a shot outside the paint in college...then went away and came back after 5ish years overseas to the NBA with a totally different game, and played 14 years in the NBA

 

Folks, I was at the game tonight, my older boy was excited bc he remembered Cam on the Rockets

[X] wizards - win a game for first time in month? Dominate Hawks from opening tip, lead by 20+ entire way

[X] CJ McCollum goes for 47, was 17-24, 11-12 threes at one point Alex Sarr gets "MVP" chants

[X] got Dolcezza Gelato after game

[X] Got 3 free Bub Carrington Pajama Pants (First 10k fans)

[ ] Cam Whitmore get a single stat bedsides a foul, do anything except for stand in the corner. My older boy was disappoint. @DaDakota steered me wrong, he said....