HOUSTON – Starting the season 0-3 was the least of the Houston Rockets expectations. One of the main reasons why the team hasn't scratched out a win is due to their bench. Trading away Kevin Porter Jr. due to his domestic assault case, coupled with Tari Eason's injury, has significantly impacted the second unit, which now lacks a dedicated scorer and several versatile players.

A bench rotation of Amen Thompson, Jeff Green, Jae'Sean Tate, Reggie Bullock, and Boban Marjanovic has not produced significantly to the level the Rockets bench had intended. Aside from all of this, where has Cam Whitmore been?

In all three games, Houston's bench has been outscored 137-69. This is likely due to the lack of offensive scoring options, as Houston is in the bottom five in offensive rating so far this season. If Jalen Green, Fred VanVleet, or Alperen Sengun are all on the bench, it's a mystery on who takes the scoring duties at a given time.

Udoka's response to Whitmore's lack of minutes

On Tuesday, the Rockets practiced in preparation for their matchup with the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday. Lachard Binkley, DreamShakeSB's lead writer, attended the practice and asked coach Ime Udoka about potential changes to the Rockets' bench, suggesting possible playing time for Whitmore. Udoka's response was vague:

“We looked at that and what we done a lot is try and bring certain guys back in with the bench unit.”

Udoka neither confirmed the move nor specified which players might be added to the struggling bench. Given the bench's current performance, it might be prudent to give Cam Whitmore rotation minutes. With Eason sidelined for at least another two weeks, including Whitmore in the rotation seems logical.

Cam Whitmore's playing time for Rockets

In three regular season games, Whitmore logged just ten minutes without scoring in a blowout 116-86 loss to the Orlando Magic. The former Villanova standout, once projected as a top-five lottery pick, fell to the 20th pick, essentially giftwrapped by the Houston Rockets.

He's a versatile scorer, the 2023 Summer League MVP, and was instrumental in the Rockets' Summer League Finals run. In the preseason, Whitmore continued to play steadily well, with his best game against the San Antonio Spurs. In 30 minutes, Cam went 4-for-15 scoring seventeen points including 8-of-11 from the charity stripe. On defense, Whitmore was all over the court, notching six steals and a block.

Obviously the NBA offers a higher level of competition, but his past performances should be considered. If Cam Whitmore is inserted into the rotation, there's a strong case that he could boost the Rockets' bench scoring until Eason returns.

While Whitmore displays tunnel vision on occasion, he's dynamic with the ball in his hands — an attribute the Rockets could leverage to enhance their offensive pace. If Houston's losses continue without utilizing him, Rockets fans and media could grow restless.