The Washington Wizards are determined to take as many high-upside swings as they can moving forward in their rebuilding process.
Considering their draft picks of Bilal Coulibaly and Alex Sarr based on potential rather than production, Washington has proven that they're more than comfortable betting on what a player could become rather than what they already are.
General manager Will Dawkins proved that strategy to be true this offseason once again by making the move to land former first-round pick Cam Whitmore from the Houston Rockets in exchange for a ridiculously cheap price in two second round picks.
Whitmore entered the NBA as one of the top draft prospects in the 2023 NBA Draft, but courtesy of a pre-draft foot injury, the lottery projected talent found himself sliding in the draft before the Rockets opted to end his slide.
At the time when he joined Houston, the landing spot seemed like an ideal fit with the Rockets young roster and ongoing rebuild in place.
However, after the hiring of Ime Udoka led to an aggressive approach to put the Rockets back into contention sooner than expected, Whitmore found himself as the odd man out in terms of rotation minutes.
A young forward with high-upside, but common mistakes that just couldn't be afforded according to Rockets' general manager Rafael Stone.
Fortunately, Whitmore found himself in arguably an even better situation this offseason, landing in Washington where he's expected to find plenty of playing time as the Wizards focus on the development of their young core.
Through the first two seasons in the league, it's become very clear how impactful the talented wing can be with the ball in his hands.
As an explosive scorer with outstanding slashing ability, an improving jumper, freakish athleticism and impressive finishing around the rim, all the talent is there for Whitmore to be a premiere scorer in the right situation.
Not to mention the room he has to grow on the offensive end as a passer.
Despite that, what he brings on the offensive end isn't what will make the Wizards' fanbase get behind him.
Instead, if Whitmore can just prove to give 110% effort when he's on the court at all times, he'll quickly become a fan favorite in Washington.
Whitmore's potential is high, but if he's willing to leave it all on the floor on a nightly basis, that alone will win not only the coaching staff over, but the fanbase as a whole.