Content warning: This post contains depictions of alleged domestic assault.
Kevin Porter Jr. was not at the Houston Rockets’ media day Monday. The guard won’t be joining the team for training camp nor the preseason, either.
For the first time since Porter was arrested in New York last month for an alleged domestic assault and strangulation, coach Ime Udoka and general manager Rafael Stone took questions about the situation. That was when Stone informed the media that Porter’s tenure with the Rockets is over.
Porter is due back in a Manhattan court Oct. 16, as his criminal proceedings are ongoing.
“The allegations against him are deeply troubling,” Stone said. “Going back a few weeks, as soon as I heard the allegations, I informed his representatives that he could not be part of the Houston Rockets. He has not been with the team or around it since that time.”
Porter, the No. 30 pick in the 2019 draft, was dealt to the Rockets by the Cleveland Cavaliers, in part, because of similar off-the-court issues. In 2020, he was accused of punching a woman in the face, though no charges were filed. In another incident, Porter was arrested for possession of a loaded firearm, and those charges were dropped.
Houston traded a protected second-round pick for the guard in 2021. That same year, Porter got into a huge disagreement with assistant coach John Lucas II, and Porter left the Rockets game against the Denver Nuggets at halftime.
In two seasons, Porter played in 120 games — all starts — including 59 games last season, when he averaged 19.2 points per game. Udoka said he would’ve competed against Jalen Green for the starting spot.
Porter signed a four-year, $72.6 million rookie extension last October and is owed $15.9 million for this season. However, under the provisions of the domestic violence policy, the league has jurisdiction to void the contract, including this year.
The NBA’s investigation continues, and Stone said the franchise is awaiting the results of police and NBA investigations.
“What’s left for the team to do is evaluate the next steps for our organization that remain in compliance with the league domestic violence policy,” Stone said. “This is now a league matter, and that’s where it’s at.”
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