If the Rockets and Kevin Porter Jr. agree to an extension this offseason, it’ll likely have to be a team-friendly deal, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reports. Scotto relays Houston is looking to preserve salary cap space for next summer.
Porter is coming off a season in which he averaged 15.6 points and 6.2 assists per game, shooting 41.5% from the floor and 37.5% from distance. At 22 years old, he’s shown he can be an electric scorer and ball-handler, but he’s dealt with maturity and discipline issues throughout his career.
It’s unlikely Houston would want to offer much more than Porter’s 2023 cap hold ($9.65MM) as a starting salary on an extension. If the two sides don’t work out a deal by opening night this fall, the 22-year-old would be eligible for restricted free agency next summer. Before joining the Rockets, he was the No. 30 pick in 2019 and started his career with the Cavaliers.
Here are some other odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- William Guillory of The Athletic examines how Pelicans star Zion Williamson can fit in with the new-look team that emerged during his 2021/22 absence. Guillory explores how much we may see Williamson serve as the de facto point guard or small-ball center, and whether he can work together with co-star Brandon Ingram.
- The Spurs are turning a page with the departure of shooting coach Chip Engelland, Mike Finger of the San Antonio Express-News writes. Engelland spent 17 years with the Spurs under Gregg Popovich, having a major impact on the team’s overall success and culture. He recently agreed to join the Thunder.
- As part of his latest mailbag for The Oklahoman, Joe Mussatto explores whether the Thunder can make a push for the play-in tournament next season. Oklahoma City has a young core of Josh Giddey, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and others, one that’ll most likely improve as time goes on. The team finished just 24-58 last season.
Not a Porter fan at all. Rockets should let TyTy take over now. He and Green are a much better mix. Like both of them. Get what you can for Porter. Wood was not right for this team. Neither is Porter. Move on
What gives you the impression that TyTy is ready to be a starting pg in the league. KPJ definitely seems like a much better option rn. Daishen Nix looks like a better option rn over TyTy just going off last season & summer league. Comp for KPJ’s backup will probably won’t be decided til preseason tho.
OKC can use a scorer. SGA is not really that. The time has come for them. To put all those picks into play. They can trade for a young Stud. Or use next yrs draft to move up for one. Herro would fit this team. I’m Heat I move him and a #1 pick for SGA.
Thunder can trade for Dariq Whitehead next yr. Definitely going top three. Probably 2nd pick. This kid is young and already NBA size. He is a scoring wing with big upside. Keep an eye on him. Top 10 next yr has good talent. OKC can get two or three of these players. We all know who is going 1st.
SGA.is.not.going.anywhere.
Still hilarious how many trade proposals I keep seeing for him….
He signed the max. He is def a scorer. He’s only 24. Still a lot more time to develop and improve. With the team okc is building, they are not asking him to be Dame or Donovan. There will be plenty of other scorers on that team.
If OKC tries and plays everyone, I think they can make a play in game this year. However, I expect Presti to fake some more injuries and tank another year. They only have 1 first rounder and can swap with the clippers but I don’t see that happening if they stay healthy.
All things said, SGA isn’t going anywhere. It’s cool to come up with dream trade scenarios that will never happen though.
“SGA isn’t a scorer” is one of the worst takes I’ve seen on this site. Guys who average 23 ppg+ in back to back years at the ages of 22 and 23 don’t grow on trees. Yeah, okay, the Thunder are bad right now, but absolutely no one is chalking up SGA’s performance to “playing on a bad team” the way people (justifiably) were with Christian Wood or Jerami Grant.
You were so close until you threw Wood & Jerami under the bus smh
I haven’t come up with any. Are you a Thu der fan or just lonely
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is def a big time scorer. Watch him play a half a basketball & it’s extremely obv that he’s an extremely talented scorer. Why tf would OKC need to trade their best player to get a top3 pick? They know how to get a top3 pick, they just did it last season. Seems like you really wanted to talk about Dariq Whitehead which I actually love but personally I highly doubt he goes top3. And clearly OKC should never trade Shai for Herro & a late 1st
Wiggins avg pts on a Minny team. That was much better than OKC teams SGA plays for. He’s not a big time scorer. Green will be a big time scorer. SGA is more a team player who can score. OKC is in a position to get a few players. That can really fill their needs. SGA is not a fit. And his timeline is not for them either. I know im way ahead of your timelines. So I don’t really care what you think. OKC has enough capital to get a real scorer. Someone who can score on anyone at anytime. Not when you are the top player on a bad team. Makes no sense paying him to go nowhere
Thunder scoring …….
2021-22 30th in NBA. Avg 103.7 a gm
2020-21 28th in NBA. Avg 105 a gm
2019-20 22nd in NBA. Avg 109 a gm
If he was a real scorer he’d avg 30 a gm for this team.