Houston Rockets
1 Player who has been a disaster: Cam Whitmore
After the jump the Houston Rockets made as a franchise last season, the natural next step for the team is to compete for a playoff spot. However, in a deep Western Conference, that could prove to be difficult. If that is going to happen this season, nearly every young player on the roster needs to take a big step forward in their game. One player who hasn't so far this year is Cam Whitmore. And with the promise he flashed at times last season, it's discouraging that Whitmore has taken a bit of a step back this year.
In a smaller role so far this season, Whitmore is averaging just six points on 39 percent shooting from the field. For a player who has all the physical tools in the world, it's a shame that he hasn't been able to make huge strides in his game. The young Rockets have a roster full of talent and if Whitmore isn't careful, he could easily fall out of grace in Houston. If that were to happen, it would not be good for his future in the Association. He's certainly a player to keep a close eye on for the rest of the season.
Indiana Pacers
1 Player who has been a disaster: Tyrese Haliburton
Heading into the start of the season, the Indiana Pacers were one of the biggest mysteries for me in the Eastern Conference. Making a run to the conference finals a year ago, the Pacers certainly had the talent and potential to once again re-emerge this season as a East player. However, there were still questions about whether they had the sustaining power to do so. Through the first few weeks of the season, those concerns still very much are present. The biggest question mark may revolve around Tyrese Haliburton.
So far this season, Haliburton has looked like everything but a superstar. He's gotten off to a slow offensive start to the season and without Haliburton playing at a superstar level, the Pacers aren't that special of a team compared to the rest of the Eastern Conference. And if Haliburton isn't going to change the math for the Pacers, they may not have a good shot to replicate much of the success they had in the playoffs last season. That's the biggest reason why it isn't outlandish to suggest Haliburton has been a big disaster.