Rockets explore trading Whitmore? Find the combat power and replace Dillon with the wing. Experts suggest digging the Lakers corners

On June 27, according to ESPN's famous reporter Shams, the Rockets may put Whitmore on the shelves and make him a bargaining chip. Shams said: "Whitmore is a talented young player who has attracted the attention of many teams in the league. If I were the Rockets, I might trade him for a draft pick or an immediate player."

Shams also mentioned that the Rockets may pursue wingers like Dillon to fill the lineup gap, while ESPN salary expert Marks suggested paying attention to Lakers forward Finney Smith, who has the 2025 player option and is expected to become a replacement for Dillon. As the 20th first round No. 20 pick in 2023, 20-year-old Whitmore has occasionally shown his strength in the first two seasons of his career. In 98 games, he averaged 17.4 minutes per game, contributing 10.8 points (44.9% shooting percentage and 35.7% three-point shooting percentage) and 3.4 rebounds. The height of 2 meters and a physique of 107 kilograms, combined with explosive athletic ability, give him a variety of scoring methods. However, the lack of defensive stability and passing awareness have made coach Uduka unwilling to set a rotation seat for him. If Whitmore becomes a fringe player in the 2025-26 season, the Rockets are likely to trade it - after all, he needs an NBA practical opportunity to continue to grow.

Whitmore will be eligible for renewal after next season, which means he urgently needs to establish his own value through performance - and it is obviously impossible to achieve this goal on the bench. Of course, if the Rockets fail to find an ideal candidate in the free market or trade, Whitmore may still become the ninth player in Uduka's early rotation, so his departure is not a foregone conclusion. But once the Rockets introduce important combat power, Whitmore's future in Houston will become increasingly blurred.

By significantly reducing VanVleet's salary in the 2025-26 season, the Houston Rockets are expected to use full middle-class specials in the upcoming 2025 NBA free agent market. According to the latest estimate, the starting salary of this special case can reach up to $14.1 million, which is enough to sign a mature veteran to help the Rockets build a team around the new aid Durant’s clear "immediate combat power".

The Rockets have already had seven core rotation players in the 2025-26 season: Van Vleet, Durant, Amen Thompson, Jabbarri Smith Jr., Shinkyung, Tari Ethan and Steven Adams. Sophomore guard Shepard is expected to get more opportunities to play, and even if he doesn't perform as expected, the Rockets may use another point guard to fill the bench time. It is worth noting that the Rockets sent away two wingers in the Durant trade. If one wing player is added, the team's top nine rotation roster will be basically determined.