-
Adrian Wojnarowski, Senior NBA Insider
The Houston Rockets have made a significant trade, sending guard Kevin Porter Jr. and two future second-round picks to the Oklahoma City Thunder. This move was announced by the team on Tuesday night. Sources have revealed to ESPN that the Thunder will be immediately waiving Porter.
As part of the deal, the Rockets will be receiving Victor Oladipo and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl. The Thunder, on the other hand, will acquire a 2027 second-round pick via the Minnesota Timberwolves and a 2028 second-round pick via the Milwaukee Bucks. These details were shared by sources to ESPN.
This trade allows the Thunder to gather valuable draft assets while shouldering the $16.9 million of guaranteed salary left on Porter’s four-year contract. Meanwhile, the Rockets will save $5.5 million in salary.
Porter’s future in the NBA has been thrown into uncertainty following his arrest for an alleged attack on his girlfriend, Kysre Gondrezick, a former WNBA player. The incident took place on September 11 at the Millennium Hilton in New York. It is crucial to note that prosecutors have dropped one of the assault charges against Porter, stating that he did not fracture Gondrezick’s neck during the alleged assault.
Gondrezick has denied the allegations of Porter assaulting her. In an interview with the New York Post, she stated that Porter did not hit her and that the accusations were false.
Nevertheless, Porter still faces charges of second-degree strangulation and third-degree assault, to which he has pleaded not guilty.
Last season, Porter signed a four-year contract extension worth up to $82.5 million. However, due to his history of off-court issues, the contract is only partially guaranteed.
Selected as the No. 30 pick in the 2019 draft after spending one season at USC, Porter faced a suspension during his college days due to conduct issues. While he played his rookie season for the Cleveland Cavaliers, he did not join the team in the following season due to personal reasons. In January 2021, he was traded to the Rockets for a top-55 protected second-round pick following a heated exchange with Cavaliers officials.
Oklahoma City has been stockpiling draft picks, acquiring a total of 15 first-round picks and 22 second-round picks over the next seven years. The Thunder acquired Oladipo earlier in the offseason trade with the Miami Heat, securing two future second-round picks. Oladipo, however, is currently rehabilitating a torn patellar tendon in his left knee and has an expiring contract worth $9.5 million.
Robinson-Earl, on the other hand, has a guaranteed salary of $1.9 million for this season and a $2 million team option for the next.
Contributions to this report were made by ESPN’s Bobby Marks and Tim MacMahon.
Denial of responsibility! Vigour Times is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
