The Houston Rockets reportedly are trading guard Kevin Porter Jr., a day after he declined a plea agreement in a case stemming from an alleged attack of his girlfriend at a New York City hotel in September.
ESPN reported Tuesday that the Rockets were shipping the embattled guard to the Oklahoma City Thunder, who are expected to immediately waive Porter.
The Rockets also will send two future second-round draft picks to the Thunder, who are exchanging guard Victor Oladipo and forward Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, ESPN reported.
The picks sent to the Thunder will come in 2027 via the Minnesota Timberwolves and 2028 via the Milwaukee Bucks.
The trade continues a tumultuous stretch for Porter.
Prosecutors revealed Monday during a hearing in Manhattan that the second-degree assault charge against Porter would be dropped due to “insufficient evidence” that he was responsible for fracturing one of Kysre Gondrezick’s neck vertebrae as initially presumed and charged by prosecutors during his arraignment.
Field Level Media’s policy is to not name alleged victims of domestic assault-related charges. Gondrezick, a former WNBA player, permitted her attorney to speak publicly on the matter.
Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Mirah Curzer cited insufficient evidence as the reason for dropping the charge of second-degree assault, telling the criminal court judge the neck injury “was not in fact an injury caused by the defendant.” The New York Post reported prosecutors revealed a review of medical records showed Gondrezick suffered from a congenital neck issue.
Porter, who had been ordered to stay away from the Rockets since his Sept. 11 arrest, reportedly was offered a plea deal to lesser charges with the condition that he take part in counseling, but he rejected the offer.
He’s next scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 27 to face charges of second-degree strangulation and third-degree assault stemming from the alleged incident at the Millennium Hotel.
Whether he’ll be playing in the NBA then remains up in the air.
Porter averaged 19.2 points, 5.7 assists and 5.3 rebounds in 59 games (all starts) for the Rockets last season.
He signed a four-year, $82.5 million contract last October and is owed $15.9 million for the upcoming 2023-24 season. However, the deal is structured with only $1 million guaranteed for 2024-25 and no further guarantees.
ESPN reported that the Thunder will swallow the $16.9 million of guaranteed salary left on Porter’s contract, and the Rockets will save $5.5 million in salary.
Rockets general manager Rafael Stone said at the team’s media day earlier this month that the allegations against Porter were “deeply troubling.”
“What’s left for the team to do is evaluate the best steps for our organization that remain in compliance with the league domestic violence policy,” he said. “This is now a league matter, and that’s where it’s at.”
Apparently, Stone and the Rockets front office decided a trade was in their best interest.
Oladipo, 31, averaged 10.7 points, 3.5 assists and 3.0 rebounds in 42 games for the Miami Heat last season before being traded to the Thunder in July.
Last season, his second in the league, the 22-year-old Robinson-Earl averaged 6.8 points, 1.0 assists and 4.2 rebounds in 43 games (20 starts) for the Thunder.
–Field Level Media
