The Rockets are attempting to unload guard Kevin Porter Jr., who was arrested this week on charges of assault and strangulation, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Sources tell Charania that Houston has contacted multiple teams about taking on Porter and is offering draft assets as an incentive. The Rockets “are keeping all options open” regarding Porter’s future, according to Charania’s sources, but they would like to use his $15.9MM salary to trade for a player who can help right away.
Charania points out that any team considering a Porter deal would have to weigh the “optics” of acquiring a player who is being charged with two felonies for an assault on his girlfriend, former WNBA player Kysre Gondrezick. It would also have to determine how much draft capital is necessary to take on a player who would presumably be waived right away.
Porter pleaded not guilty to the charges at his arraignment Tuesday and was ordered to appear in a New York court on October 16. Prosecutors said the attack left Gondrezick with a fractured vertebra in her neck, along with other physical damage.
Commissioner Adam Silver called the accusations “horrific” during a press conference on Wednesday, adding that the league’s investigation is being conducted in accordance with its domestic violence policy, which was bargained with the NBPA, writes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle.
“Every case, though, also depends on its unique facts,” Silver said. “I think here when we’re not in-season there is a little bit more opportunity to absorb what’s happened before we react. I think if it were a case where we were more in the middle of the season, we might be compelled to do something faster.”
Training camps don’t open for nearly three weeks, so there’s not much time pressure for the league to act immediately. Feigen notes that the NBA has typically waited for the legal process run its course in past cases involving criminal allegations, and the most likely outcome appears to be that Porter will be placed on administrative leave until that happens.
The decision on Porter will be up to the league, as the CBA prevents teams from imposing their own fines or suspensions in cases of this type. However, Silver said the league office is communicating with Rockets officials during the investigation.
“Again, I’ve learned over many years of working on these cases not to assume anything here and not just rely on headlines,” Silver said, “but try to truly understand what’s happening here as a combination of what law enforcement has learned and direct interviews. We’re still now in the process of gathering information.”
The timing of any action against Porter could affect his contract, which has a minimum guarantee for 2024/25 that increases from $1MM to $3MM on opening night of the upcoming season. It would rise to $6MM if he’s still on the roster five days after the 2024 trade deadline and become fully guaranteed for $15.86MM on June 30, 2024.
Who’s taking him ……
His career is OVER ….. China won’t take him
wasted talent …..
He is getting jail time. There is no way any team is touching his contract. He will be over seas in a few year.
So was bridges if memory serves me.
Bridges didn’t break bones. What Porter did was much worse.
I didn’t know there were guidelines and parameters as to damage done. Bridges only blackened both eyes and beat his woman beyond recognition.
Lmaoo “beat her beyond recognition.” That wasn’t anywhere in the reports and you know it. She had black eyes but you could tell it was her.
Idk but personally when I see 2 guys who both beat the crap out of women in their lives, I don’t generally compare which one of them is worse based on the total damage done. They’re both pieces of garbage that should be banned from the NBA. End of story
Bridges gave his girlfriend a skull fracture that later caused a nurse to vom. In front of her kids. Porter fractured his girlfriends neck and could have easily killed her if the cops hadn’t pulled him off her. They’re both monsters.
Overseas teams aren’t that desperate for players, they wont take this guy.
lmao good luck with that. There’s a non-zero chance he never sets foot on an NBA court again. No one is trading for a dude who might be in jail very shortly.
They are not trading for him to play. They are trading for the draft picks Houston has to include. He will immediately be waived by the other team and will likely never set foot on a court in America ever again. However, I don’t see how any team would trade for him, just because of the look (most “fans” wouldn’t understand the move).
Like bridges was going to jail ?
Bridges girl bailed him out and didn’t testify. KPJs girl has been cooperating and he is cooked with as much evidence has already surfaced on the internet
My bad , I didn’t realize those mitigating circumstances bwaaaaaaa Bwaaaaaaa Bwaaaaaaa.
Her family is going after him too. This could get real ugly. Uglier than this ????
Why would they give up draft assets to move a guy whose contract is not guaranteed past this season?
Just take the L that a project player didn’t work out, don’t compound more Ls on top of it giving away assets.
I know y’all gonna rage in the replies bc everyone on this site just has to talk crap and be nasty, but I’m serious, pretty sure myself and half the ppl on this site got more business and basketball sense than some of these GMs/VPs.
They don’t want to waste his 15.9M this year, every move they have made thus far points toward getting out of the lottery. So it would make sense that they want to get production from that money.
If the charges are true he’s gonna be suspended most or all the season and while the 15.9 M will count against their cap, pretty sure he forfeits most the $ if suspended. Not sure though if anyone can clarify?
The issue is basically that while he eventually will be suspended or banned, the suspension/ban probably won’t happen fast enough to save the rockets 2023 budget. My guess is he is found guilty or pleas guilty during the winter at some point (Dec – Feb), and then the NBA investigates at that point and issues a punishment around the Spring. That’s a long time for the rockets to wait and they will be trying to win games during that time.
They are basically trying to avoid that 6 months of limbo.
Thanks for the expo reflect. I just still don’t see how it’s worth parting with any asset though.
@MagicFan He sees the court room in October. That is just a preliminary hearing and not a sentencing. He will get out on bail and the case will be postponed for several months. This prolonging the NBA investigation and decision on KPJ. That also means the Rockets could still owe him his full years salary. If a team accepts a trade for KPJ, they get draft picks and waivers rights on KPJ. This not costing the Rockets or trading team anything for the year. A rebuilding team could benefit from this if they are willing to give up a league ready player. That rebuilding team could get 5 years of draft picks in total. It’s a gamble but what do rebuilding teams have to lose?
@MagicFan69 – When something sounds like complete idiocy, chances are it is. You’re right. They wouldn’t be giving up draft capital just to get him off the books. Few things are more irrelevant.
What they are likely trying to do is use his contract in a trade (as matching contract or a TPE) while they still can. Contrary to the legal analysis in this thread, he’s likely to be suspended soon (before camp starts), after which he can’t be traded.
They can get a player making 12-15 mill a yr. Who would be a decent player. And add depth. Or even a young player with a contract a team doesn’t want. You give up draft picks. So a team could go for it.
Basically… trade him to a team that will cut him in return for a 1st or multiple 2nds. So a team would be taking on 15.9 this year and 3M thereafter as dead money?
The Wizards make a ton of sense here don’t they? Tyus Jones, Shamet, Wright, Gallo, Deni, Muscala a bunch of guys they could package together and send back for KPJ a 1st and maybe some seconds.
Spurs have cap space or McBuckets and Bullock.
Utah – THT.
Outside the box – S&T Oubre for the MLE for KPJ and a 1st.
Hell even the Knicks and Fournier. No difference except they’d gain draft assets.
Nets could clear a logjam and ship Royce or DFS out.
“Help” is a relative term.
You obviously aren’t a public relations expert.
No team is going to trade for Porter.
You made some good trade partner suggestions.
Teams will be interested in trading for kpj for draft assets and for potential cap relief too. He is in a non guarantee contract except for the 1mm
The jazz have talent and would likely be the worst trade partner as they would demand picks for taking on a bad contract plus giving up a talented player. Ainge would do it but I could see the Knicks going for it.
Knicks want to dump Fournier and this might be that opportunity.
Also see suns trying to dump ayton just to save themselves on luxury tax and CBA violations. That super tax line is bad news.
Either way, there should be a handful willing to help out. This bad look crap doesn’t matter at this point as any team will just cut him.
It matters and it won’t happen.
He’ll never play for the team. Just get his money for this yr. He’s going to jail anyway. And then there will be a civil suit. He’s done lol.
What does it matter if he never suits up? It is literally a piece of paper they are exchanging in this instance. Porter may as well not board a plane to the trade Destination. If he is free.
On second thought you are right. There is still a bad look paying this man’s salary after knowing what he did. Houston would just need to waive him.
Icon… you’re absolutely right. No team is gonna trade for him and “accept” all the bad media attention that’ll definitely come with acquiring him.
There would be writers that couldn’t wait to do articles on it, even while knowing the team has no intention of keeping the player… they’ll STILL write the articles.
There’d be a different article by a different writer every day.
And definitely a USA Today article about how they’re acquiring a player that strangled his girlfriend.
There would be womens groups picketing at the arena – even if the games hadn’t even started yet!
The negative media and fan base attention would certainly not be worth the picks or “assets” acquired.
What GM or President of Basketball Operations wants to explain this to their fan base, saying, “No, we don’t (really) want him – we’re just using him and his contract to bring you, our great fans, a winner!”
Then there would be articles about that!
“Bringing us a winner by bringing us a loser”
Only front office person I can think of who’s that desperate is Morey – who just happens to have a player that wants to go to Houston already.
I only mention the Jazz bc of Trader Danny, and THT doesn’t really have a role anymore. Sexton, George, Clarkson, Agbaji, and Dunn at the guard spot. Simone and Brice to backup Lauri. They could pick up one of the eventual roster casualties in the coming weeks and replace him too at the vet min.
And they could get a FRP, versus nothing when they let THT go next yr.
is their GM a moron? No one in their right mind will trade for him right now.
How exactly? They don’t want him and would presumably take $.1 on the dollar for him.
Miles bridges for KPJ? Abuser for abuser ?
Bridges woman looked like she went 10 rounds with Mike Tyson and Bridges is back in the good graces of the NBA a year later. Let’s not jump the gun on this kid yet.
Who goes ten rounds with Tyson. Nobody
Did you really just say don’t jump the gun ? Lol. He hit a woman PERIOD, END OF STORY! plus how do we know if he ain’t beat her like Ike turner ? Apparently she doesn’t want to press charges cause she knows he will be done for.
Ikè turner ? Gulp
Bridges doesn’t have the history of Porter. Plus the next abuser will get more severe punishment. Also NY doesn’t play with domestic abuse. Silver will be watched after Ja, Bridges .
They reportedly were trying to trade Porter before the draft. If they couldn’t trade the dude back then, they have no chance now.
Might be easier to trade him now then back then because their is picks and salary relief coming.
More evidence that the HOU FO operates in their own World. Although perhaps some posters here share that World with them.
The differences between Bridges and him have nothing to do with the seriousness of the respective offenses. They really amount to the contractural differences. KPJ is under contract, so it won’t work to just have a mutually agreed upon silence until the legal process plays out. Here, the NBA should put a league suspension in place prior to the start of the season.
Beyond dumb. It’s doubtful they’d be offering a first, so they think a second or multiple seconds would do it on top of taking on his salary this season plus the bit guaranteed next season? I would laugh and hang up.
Oof why leak this
Nobody gonna trade for this ass.
This is just a smoke signal they are into taking on a multi year deal If a team wants to turn it into an (INSTANT) expiring
A pure ledger move ; Calm down folks
link to google.com
It says this yr he is getting 15.9 mill. After this yr he can be cut and owed 1 mill.
So Rockets can attach draft compensation. To get a player making 12 mill and over. The other team can then cut him. Imo (HR can correct me, please) the NBA can step in and ban him now. And he won’t get paid much. I guess it’s worth it to Rockets to add a player.
Call the Knicks …… We’ll give you Fournier
Plus he’ll be in NY. So he can go straight to jail ….. makes it easy on everyone
No team is dealing for him, regardless of the draft capital being offered by the Rockets. The optics of taking on a guy like KPJ just to get a 1st is not a good look for anyone.
His NBA career is done. He will not play in 2024 while his legal situation plays out. He is in the process of trying to find an attorney who can try and get his charges downgraded.
Porter has to get his legal situation solved, and have his jail time served before training camp next year. If that doesn’t happen, 2025 season is done, and his weak hopes at continuing a career in NBA is done.
Adam Silver and the NBA will just wait and let the legal system take care of Kevin Porter. They will suspend him after he is sentenced, but they know he will never see the NBA again. If he doesn’t get his charges downgraded, he will be in prison for at least a year, and maybe 18-24 months.
Miles Bridges situation was just as horrific. LaMelo wanted him on the team, so Charlotte was in a position to wait out a year, and take a much smaller public relations hit. However, Kevin Porter brought that situation right back into focus.