Two Young Houston Rockets Players to Appear in Summer League

The two Rockets talents will get to earn more reps under the system this summer.

Apr 9, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Cam Whitmore (7) shoots a three-point shot against the Orlando Magic during the second quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports / Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports

The Houston Rockets recently made a trade to acquire third-year pro A.J. Griffin from the Atlanta Hawks, with the Rockets dealing pick No. 44 in the 2024 NBA Draft to Atlanta. Griffin is a former first-round pick, giving the Rockets another young talent for their roster.

Griffin had a down sophomore season, but he could be facing a turnaround in Houston. The potential turnaround will start in Summer League, too. On Friday, The Athletic's Kelly Iko reported that Griffin and second-year Rockets forward Cam Whitmore will be playing in Summer League to continue getting valuable reps.

The former Hawks guard spent two seasons in Atlanta, though year two was a huge step back from year one. He played 72 games with 12 starts during his rookie season. In year two, he appeared in just 20 games with zero starts under his belt. After scoring 8.9 points in just under 20 minutes per game, he appeared in under 10 minutes per game in his sophomore season, scoring 2.4 points per contest.

With a fresh start in a Rockets jersey, Griffin will soon get an opportunity to increase his volume and really show his value to the team.

For Whitmore, it's truly just an opportunity to continue getting reps. He was the Summer League MVP last season and will be playing in the games with even more experience under his belt. He'll be joined by Griffin, also with experience, and getting to play alongside Rockets rookie Reed Sheppard.

Even with two experienced players on the Rockets' summer roster, all eyes will be on the Kentucky product and No. 3 overall selection as Sheppard's elite shotmaking and sneaky athleticism should be on full display.

Building off a 41-41 record, Houston fans will get to enjoy the play of the young talents over the summer as the team mounts for a potential playoff season next year.

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