In contrast to most teams, the LA Clippers have two players to look forward to in regards to their future, Jordan Miller and Cam Christie, and both are relatively unproven. They have received inconsistent minutes, which makes it hard to judge how their development is truly progressing.
More prominently, Miller showed some flashes last season and saw a positive change in his contract type. However, he still ended the season averaging 4.1 points and 1.6 rebounds, shooting 43.3% from the field and 21.1% from the three.
Christie’s rookie season posted similar averages to Miller’s in 2023-24, with 1.4 points, 0.9 rebounds, and 0.5 assists. On May 5, 2025, executive Lawrence Frank spoke about the Minnesota product and mentioned his consistency as one of the few young talents in the LA area.
The Clippers need a head start before they actually start rebuilding their future. Their only realistic outlet is trading, as most of the league’s rising stars are still on their first contract.
Furthermore, the best start LA would find itself in is through a trade with the Houston Rockets for their 2023 first-round pick, Cam Whitmore. He is thriving but is not receiving his deserved minute count under Ime Udoka, which may result in him knocking on the team president’s door and requesting a trade.
Cam Whitmore’s value is at an all-time low, and the Clippers should offer the minimum to add the athletic guard
When the Houston Rockets picked Cam Whitmore, a lottery-projected talent, at 20th overall in 2023, everyone and their mother knew they chose the steal of the draft. His athleticism and scoring were compared to Jaylen Brown, meaning he was expected to inevitably rise to stardom.
This comparison made even more sense as Ime Udoka once coached Brown so he could use similar techniques to guide Whitmore into the role of a future All-Star.
Conversely, Udoka decreased Whitmore’s minutes from his rookie to sophomore seasons, at a difference of 2.5, which can be frustrating considering the Villanova product still averaged almost 10 points in 51 games.
With the Rockets’ rotation being close-knit, Whitmore could be traded, and the LA Clippers would only have to give up Kris Dunn and multiple second-round picks. This would do the trick, as Houston is likely not looking for more elite talents sitting on the sidelines.
With Whitmore, the Clippers would flourish next season and even further when their rebuild begins following the current superstar era.