Cam Whitmore's addition to the Washington Wizards could allow for him to prove that he has the upside to be a star player in the NBA.
However, his biggest downfall could be the lone reason that he's unable to make that leap, especially on a team like the Wizards.
Washington is one of the few teams in the league with the luxury of taking swings on young players to allow for them to use the surplus of available playing time to develop their games and showcase what they have to offer.
Considering the Wizards are still desperately seeking a franchise cornerstone to build around, it makes all the sense in the world for general manager Will Dawkins to take a swing on potential this offseason.
Whitmore has all the tools to be a big time player in this league and considering his ability to get to the rim at will and score in waves, he could immediately turn heads with an increased role on the Wizards.
As a Maryland native, everything is at his disposal for him to prove that he deserved a larger role in Houston and the team's decision to move on from him should only add fuel to the fire for him to trade that chip on his shoulder into a big payday down the road.
Nonetheless, for him to do that, he'll have to overcome one of the biggest weaknesses in his game that could hinder his success in Washington.
The weakness? Lack of playmaking.
Whitmore's ability as a slasher and capable shooter make his offensive upside intriguing, but throughout his time in the league, he's shown struggles as a facilitator.
Often causing a stall on the offensive end due to his tunnel-vision and lack of desire to create for others, the Maryland native has to improve in this area if he hopes to put on a show for him hometown team.
With the Wizards looking to build a culture and system that involves ball movement and teammate chemistry, the Villanova product will have to show a willingness of making the right play at all times, even if that consists of making an extra swing pass rather than taking a shot Whitmore feels is wide open.
If he's able to make this adjustment, the sky is the limit and the Wizards trade could look genius.
If he's not? He could find his tenure in Washington falling short of what he hoped a change of scenery could do for his career.