Two young Houston Rockets players to appear in Summer League

The Houston Rockets recently made a trade to acquire AJ Griffin, a third-year professional player from the Atlanta Hawks, with the Rockets trading the No. 44 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft to Atlanta. Griffin is a former first-round pick, giving the Rockets another young talent to add to their roster.

Griffin had a disappointing sophomore season, but he could face a turnaround in Houston. This potential turnaround will also begin during Summer League. On Friday, Kelly Iko of The Athletic reported that Griffin and Rockets second-year forward Cam Whitmore will play in Summer League to continue to get valuable reps.

The former Hawks guard spent two seasons in Atlanta, though his second year was a big step down from his first. He played in 72 games with 12 starts in his rookie season. In his second year, he only played in 20 games with zero starts. After scoring 8.9 points in just under 20 minutes per game, he appeared in less than 10 minutes per game in his second season, scoring 2.4 points per game.

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

For Whitmore, it’s really an opportunity to continue making appearances. He was voted Summer League MVP last season and will be entering the games with even more experience under his belt. He’ll be joined by the equally experienced Griffin, who will 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 third overall pick as Sheppard’s elite shooting and sneaky athleticism should be on full display.

Building on a 41-41 record, Houston fans will be able to enjoy the play of young talent over the summer as the team prepares for a potential playoff season next year.

READ MORE: Houston Rockets’ Jabari Smith Jr., Amen Thompson Named to USA Basketball All-Selection Team

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