Cam Whitmore

[payitforward]

Anyone can tell that we made a bargain trade to acquire Cam Whitmore, but the trade will fade into memory when Cam actually starts to play in a Wizards uniform.

At that point, we'll be interested in Cam himself. The way he plays & how well he plays.

& what will we see?

Well, based on his college numbers, the rep he brought into the league, & his first 2 NBA seasons, it would seem:

1. fairly easy to predict what KIND of player he's likely to be, but...
2. kind of hard to predict what success he might be likely to have -- how good he'll be.

In short, so far, he's been consistent as a player, while so far, unfortunately, he hasn't been very good.

What do YOU think we'll get from Cam?

[GoneShammGone]

It feels like a Jordan Poole situation to me. He is a limited player, not the kind of guy you really want to commit to long-term, but if he can manage to up his scoring efficiency, he might interest some team in a trade. I think we move him at the deadline if he plays well, and if not he goes to the end of the bench after that.

My guess is that by the end of this season he'll be an afterthought.

[AFM]

I'm gonna be honest, I've only seen him via youtube highlights. Therefore, I think he's going to be amazing for us

[GoneShammGone]

Yeah, between him, Bilal and AJ I think we can look forward to some sick dunks this year!

[doclinkin]

I think he becomes a fan favorite while irritating the deep stat nerd crowd. So: a two-fer!

[payitforward]

I like it!

How much will he play, I wonder?

[penbeast0]

I miss the old "Shrine" or "Amazingly suck" adjectives on these threads. I hope like hell he breaks out, makes the most of his talent, and becomes a star in this league but have too many years of disappointment with the Bullets and Wiz to count on it.

[payitforward]

understood -- but everyone deserves a chance at redemption! Hope he knocks it outta the park (as it were).

[badinage]

I hear you, too.

But.

There’ve been a bunch of players that've come here and turned their careers around or given them a massive boost forward.

Bernard King
Gilbert
Shaun Livingston
Porzingis

Who else?

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Antonio Daniels, DeShawn Stevenson, Trevor Ariza, Bobby Portis, Daniel Gafford, Garrett Temple, Jared Butler, Jordan Goodwin, Justin Champagnie, Kelly Oubre.

I threw out the names of guys who I think earned extra contracts because of the Wizards.

[Kanyewest]

Bertans/Webster/Kris Humphries for a season each, Garrison Matthews, Robin Lopez, Satoransky (when he came back), Ish Smith, Raul Neto, James Singleton, Rasual Butler, Jeff Green, Ramon Sessions, Caron Butler, Larry Hughes

[TheBlackCzar]

How would you guys compare and contrast, and rate Cam vs Kuminga?

[J-Ves]

How would you guys compare and contrast, and rate Cam vs Kuminga?

Cam is younger therefore cheaper and has more offensive upside

Kuminga is bigger therefore can play PF and is the better defender between the two

[9 and 20]

Cam Whitmore has been OK considering his age. Hopefully he continues to improve, just given natural development and the different conditions here vs Houston.

Bilal, George, and Whitmore all need 25 or 30 minutes a night to show what they are. Kispert and Middleton will have to make do with whatever is left over. Maybe play Kispert at guard and put up with his defense there (which would really help ensure the tank). Champagnie is an interesting case - we know he's a rotation guy at worst and he's paid peanuts for the next few years.

[payitforward]

Cam Whitmore has been OK considering his age. Hopefully he continues to improve, just given natural development and the different conditions here vs Houston....

Well put, tho I think "ok" might be a bit better than deserved. & the 2d year improvement was pretty small.

...Champagnie is an interesting case - we know he's a rotation guy at worst and he's paid peanuts for the next few years.

I'm always amazed how hard it is for people to get past original draft position in assessing a player -- even 3 years later.

It would take a miracle -- a mammoth jump in productivity! -- for Cam to reach the level Justin played at last year. Could it happen? Sure -- why not? Is it likely? Far from it....

[DCZards]

I expect Cam to get at least 20 mins a game. (I don’t think he’s in the starting lineup from the outset of the season.) I believe Cam will prove to be the Zards second-best scoring threat after Tre amongst the youngins.

How many minutes Cam ultimately gets will depend, in large part, on how committed he is on defense.

Cam just turned 21...and has a ton of untapped potential.

[Kanyewest]

For those who were entertained by the horoscope thread.

The Zodiac GM

Read on Twitter

[payitforward]

I expect Cam to get at least 20 mins a game. ...

I would hope so!

Cam just turned 21...and has a ton of untapped potential.

There is no doubt of it. & if he starts moving towards realizing that potential (something he has simply not done in his first two seasons) it will be great for him & abig plus for the Wizards' future.

May it be so.

[9 and 20]

I asked chat gpt for comparisons based on performance at ages 19 and 20 and it came back with the below. Not too bad. Jaylen Brown would be great, obviously.

At age 19–20, Cam Whitmore draws comparisons to a few explosive, score-first wings who were similarly raw but athletically dominant early in their careers. Here's a breakdown of players he's similar to at the same age, both stylistically and developmentally:

Top Comparisons to Cam Whitmore (Age 19–20)
1. Jaylen Brown (Freshman at Cal / Early Celtics)
Why the Comparison Works:

Similar strong frame and elite athleticism

Explosive straight-line driver

Limited passing/playmaking early on

Questionable decision-making and shot selection

Stats at Cal (Age 19):

14.6 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 2.0 APG, 43.1% FG, 29.4% 3PT

Development Path:

Took a few years to refine ball-handling and off-ball awareness

Became a high-level scorer and defender with better discipline

2. Miles Bridges (Michigan State / Early Charlotte)
Why the Comparison Works:

Similar build and vertical explosiveness

More of a power wing than a finesse creator

Early focus on transition scoring and bully-ball drives

Stats at MSU (Age 19):

16.9 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 2.1 APG, 45.7% FG, 37.5% 3PT

Development Path:

Added polish over time; became a productive NBA scorer

Never a great playmaker — mostly a slasher/scorer

3. KJ Martin (Rockets)
Why the Comparison Works:

Very similar athleticism and finishing at the rim

Lower usage, off-ball cutter/transition threat

Less skilled ball-handler, but high-impact energy scorer

Stats at Age 20 (NBA):

8.8 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 50.9% FG, 36.5% 3PT (2021–22 season)

Development Path:

Found a niche as an off-ball cutter and energy wing

4. Kelly Oubre Jr. (Kansas / Early Wizards)
Why the Comparison Works:

Flashy, aggressive wing with scoring instincts

Streaky shooter, tunnel vision early on

Athleticism was ahead of polish

Stats at Kansas (Age 19):

9.3 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 35.8% 3PT

Development Path:

Took years to improve consistency and discipline

Still more scorer than playmaker

5. Gerald Green (Young NBA Career)
Why the Comparison Works:

Explosive vertical athlete

Came into the league very raw but with clear scoring potential

Lacked feel and playmaking for years

Development Path:

Carved out a role as an instant-offense bench scorer later in career

Key Traits They Share:
Trait Description
Elite Athleticism All had high-end vertical leaping, transition explosiveness
Scoring Instincts Ability to get buckets even before becoming polished players
Low Assist Rates Not natural playmakers — often single-minded scorers
Defensive Inconsistency Flashes of defensive impact but lacked awareness early
High Upside, High Variance Boom-or-bust profiles depending on development of skillset

Summary
At 19–20, Cam Whitmore is most similar to early Jaylen Brown in terms of frame, athleticism, and raw scoring ability, though Miles Bridges and Kelly Oubre Jr. are also very apt comparisons. All of them were more athletes than complete players at that age.

If things go well:
He could become a two-way scoring wing with All-Star upside like Jaylen Brown.

If things stall:
He might end up a bench scorer or athletic role player like Gerald Green or Kelly Oubre Jr.

Would you like a radar chart or visual comparison of Cam and these players based on metrics (e.g., usage, efficiency, athletic profile)?

[J-Ves]

I expect Cam to get at least 20 mins a game. (I don’t think he’s in the starting lineup from the outset of the season.) I believe Cam will prove to be the Zards second-best scoring threat after Tre amongst the youngins.

How many minutes Cam ultimately gets will depend, in large part, on how committed he is on defense.

Cam just turned 21...and has a ton of untapped potential.

Cam will probably come off the bench but if he only gets 20 minutes a game expect another trade request because he didn’t force his way here not to play. I think guys like Kispert and Middleton are far more likely to face a minutes crunch