Cam Whitmore's debut with the Washington Wizards was highly anticipated and on Sunday, fans finally got the chance to see what the Maryland native had to offer.
The Villanova product landed with the Wizards earlier this offseason after two seasons with the Houston Rockets ended with a sour relationship and a desire fresh start for both sides.
Whitmore was hoping to land on a team that could offer him the ability to play meaningful minutes and the Rockets were looking to fill their roster with players willing to buy in on a contending roster and put individual goals aside.
Entering the offseason, it was clear that the two sides were leading towards a split and after Houston fielded several calls, there was no telling where Whitmore could end up.
Nonetheless, courtesy of general manager Rafael Stone, the Rockets opted to do right by Whitmore and give the DMV native the opportunity to play for his home team.
Following what could be looked at as one of the most underrated moves of the offseason, all eyes were on Whitmore and how he'd look on a rebuilding team that could not only prioritize his development, but give him the chance to play through his mistakes.
On Sunday, we got the chance to see exactly that and in 17 minutes, Whitmore looked like the exact type of player that could pan out in Washington long term.
Whitmore came off the bench in his debut as expected, but during his time on the court he looked like a game changer for the Wizards, totaling 10 points knocking down four of his seven shooting attemps.
Outside of his points, Whitmore failed to record an assist or rebound, but he made his presence known on the defensive end adding a block and a steal.
Obviously, for Whitmore to take the next step, the forward will have to further his game as a playmaker.
Although he failed to show his ability to serve as a facilitator on Sunday, Whitmore avoided causing the Wizards' offense to grow stagnant while on the floor; which alone was one of his biggest gripes while in H-Town.
Brian Keefe will continue working with Whitmore as the season progresses and while his development is a work in progress, early signs suggests that the forward is trending in the right direction.
Nonetheless, considering what Whitmore was able to show in his limited minutes, there's way more positives to take away from his performance than there is negatives.
Grade: B+
As the preseason continues, Whitmore will have the chance to continue proving the Wizards decision to trade for him was a brilliant one.