Contact Kris Gardner for details pertaining to advertising on the website; the blogs; and / or the podcasts.
Get the Disney Bundle. Movies, Shows, & Sports
Rockets Acquire Kevin Porter Jr.
POSTED: January 22, 2021 -- 3:56 p.m. CT
The Houston Rockets today announced they have acquired guard Kevin Porter Jr. from Cleveland in exchange for a protected second round pick.
The second round pick is a top-55 protected pick. Cleveland picked up a team option on Porter's contract last month, meaning he is owed $2.13 million for the 2021-22 season. He has another team option for $3.85 million for the 2022-23 season.
This is a top-55 protected pick that is likely never to convey, per sources. The Rockets are taking a flyer on a talented 20-year-old who is dealing with some personal issues. https://t.co/rAxSyNiqst
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) January 22, 2021
Porter (6'4", 203) was the 30th overall pick by the Cavaliers in the 2019 NBA Draft following his freshman season at USC. As a rookie last season, the 20-year-old appeared in 50 games with three starts while averaging 10.0 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 23.2 minutes per game.
Dating back to 1994-95, Porter joined Nikola Jokic (2015-16) as the only rookies to have averaged at least 10.0 points per game, 3.0 rebounds per game and 2.0 assists per game in fewer than 25.0 minutes per game.
Porter definitely has basketball talent; however, in addition to his confrontation with Cavs GM Koby Altman, Porter Jr has dealt with off-court issues during his young life.
Kevin Porter Jr. got into a heated argument with Cavs GM Koby Altman, at one point yelling about "modern-day slavery."
— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) January 22, 2021
"He snapped on Koby and Koby snapped back," a Cavs source told @SpinDavies. "I'm worried about him outside of basketball at this point." https://t.co/hFATiPZbXE
This Basketball News article by Spencer Davies provides additional details of some of Porter Jr's issues:
'In August of 2020, he was accused of punching a woman in the face. In November of 2020, he was arrested following a one-car crash and had a loaded handgun in the vehicle. Despite the pair of off-court incidents over the offseason, Porter came back to the Cavs' facility on Dec. 7, going through individual workouts with Bickerstaff with assistant coaches Sam Jones and Josh Estes. Porter even participated in a full-team practice on Dec. 10.'
One factor in the Rockets taking this flyer: the presence of assistant coach John Lucas.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) January 22, 2021
Houston plans to have Lucas, who has helped several NBA and NFL players overcome personal issues to get their careers back on track, work closely with Kevin Porter Jr. https://t.co/xzlG5CAA6a
In a related move, the Rockets have waived guard Chris Clemons who appeared in 33 games as a rookie last season.
CLICK HERE for Rockets' news and information.
