<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/clippers-news-la-breaks-silence-on-decision-to-sign-kevin-porter-jr');   ga('set', 'title', 'Clippers break silence on decision to sign Kevin Porter Jr.');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Kevin-Porter-Jr.-Lawrence-Frank-Los-Angeles-Clippers.jpg"><figcaption>CP</figcaption></figure><h1>Clippers break silence on decision to sign Kevin Porter Jr.</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-07-17T14:44:37-07:00">July 17th, 2:44pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-07-17T14:45:57-07:00">July 17th, 2:45pm</time><address><a>Tomer Azarly</a>Tomer Azarly is in his seventh season as the LA Clippers beat writer for ClutchPoints. From the Lob City era to the Kawhi Leonard-Paul George era, he brings you everything you need to know about the Clippers.In his off time, Tomer likes to play basketball, video games, and draw.You can follow his Twitter for all Clippers content.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Exclusive</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>LAS VEGAS, NV — Lawrence Frank  LA Clippers moved quickly in free agency to build a competitive roster with the loss of star Paul George. That includes an agreement on a deal with former Houston Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr., who has been out of the NBA since last September following his arrest last September.</p><h2>The Incident And Plea Agreement</h2><p>On the morning of September 11, 2023, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/rockets-news-kevin-porter-jr-arrested-allegedly-assaulting-wnba-girlfriend">Porter Jr. was arrested</a> and later charged with assault and strangulation of his girlfriend, Kysre Gondrezick, formerly of the Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever. <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/38386284/girlfriend-rockets-kevin-porter-fractured-vertebrae">Prosecutors stated</a> that Porter Jr.’s alleged attack on his girlfriend left her with a fractured neck vertebra and a cut above her right eye.</p><p>Kyrse Gondrezick spoke out after the incident, denying the allegations that Kevin Porter Jr. hit or punched her.</p><p>“He didn’t hit me,” <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/10/17/rockets-guard-kevin-porter-jr-s-girlfriend-denies-he-strangled-punched-her-in-nyc-hotel/" rel="noopener">Gondrezick told the New York Post</a>. “He never balled his fists up and hit me,” Gondrezick said. “And he definitely didn’t punch me in the face numerous times. That is a lie. I don’t have any injuries to support that.”</p><p>In January 2024, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/rockets-news-kevin-porter-jr-plea-agreement-reckless-assault-case">Porter Jr. reached a plea agreement</a> of reckless assault in the third degree and harassment in the second degree.</p><p>According to the Associated Press, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/houston-rockets-kevin-porter-jr-assault-arrest-9d362fba93becc8a66f0d82318bdc7dc" rel="noopener">the agreement states</a> that Kevin Porter Jr., “must complete a 26-week Abusive Partner Intervention Program or an equivalent program with a private counselor. He must also abide by a limited order of protection, attend all court dates and have no further arrests.</p><p>“If Porter complies,” the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/houston-rockets-kevin-porter-jr-assault-arrest-9d362fba93becc8a66f0d82318bdc7dc" rel="noopener">Associated Press explained</a>, “he’ll be able to withdraw his assault plea in a year and will be sentenced at that time to time served for the non-criminal harassment count, prosecutors said, effectively clearing his criminal record.”</p><h2>The Clippers Speak About Kevin Porter Jr. Addition</h2><p>When the team officially signed Kevin Porter Jr., there was no statement or quote from President of Basketball Operations Lawrence Frank. Derrick Jones Jr. and Nicolas Batum, however, both received statements in their official signings minutes prior to Porter Jr.’s.</p><p>Frank met with members of the media in Las Vegas amid the NBA’s Summer League, where he was asked directly by ClutchPoints regarding the decision to sign Kevin Porter Jr.</p><p>“First of all, look, we’re obviously very aware of his history,” <a href="https://twitter.com/TomerAzarly/status/1813294468151537980" rel="noopener">Lawrence Frank responded to ClutchPoints</a>‘ inquiry. “We’ve studied the case. We don’t in any way want to downplay or minimize or condone domestic violence, okay? The allegations are serious and they’re disturbing.</p><p>“With that being said, what we did is we hired an outside expert. We spent a couple days with Kevin, the expert did a very thorough evaluation and based on the expert’s recommendations, we decided that it was worth an opportunity for Kevin. Now, with that being said, there’s a personal development plan that he committed to back in October, and then we have our own personal development plan that he’s committed to and will be held accountable to and we think based on those facts that positive change is possible and the standards will be high for Kevin. But we totally are aware of the history and in no shape, way, shape or form do we want to minimize what the allegations are.”</p><p>When asked if the organization took time to speak with some of the women in the organization, some of whom may be working directly with Porter Jr., Lawrence Frank <a href="https://twitter.com/TomerAzarly/status/1813294468151537980" rel="noopener">essentially said no</a>.</p><p>“Well, I think we didn’t have conversations with specific women, but every decision that we make is we want to create a safe and comfortable work environment and based on the experts we consulted with, they gave us very encouraging, in regards to a safe and comfortable work environment, that will not be a factor.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Here were my 2 questions regarding Kevin Porter Jr. yesterday to Clippers President of Basketball Operations Lawrence Frank as well as the answers:</p><p>“First of all, look, we're obviously very aware of his history. We've studied the case. We don't in any way want to downplay or… <a href="https://t.co/q99Kw4JoaC">pic.twitter.com/q99Kw4JoaC</a></p><p>— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) <a href="https://twitter.com/TomerAzarly/status/1813294468151537980?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 16, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>There are no details as of yet about what the personal development plan that Porter Jr. committed to with the Clippers entails.</p><p>Lawrence Frank did not speak to whether he expects the NBA to discipline Kevin Porter Jr., but says the organization will abide by whatever decision the league makes.</p><p>“You do a thorough background of the entire, basically everything that you’re allowed to dig into, but there’s certain things that are off limits of where it’s at. And look, even though the charges were lessened on Kevin, we still don’t try to diminish anything in terms of what was alleged. So you just do the most you can. The NBA is going to do their own process. That’s how these things work and so it’ll abide by whatever the NBA decides.”</p><p>A league source confirmed to ClutchPoints that the NBA plans to continue its investigation into Kevin Porter Jr. now that the guard is back in the league. There is no word yet, however, on whether or not Porter Jr. is facing any kind of discipline from the league.</p><p>Kevin Porter Jr., 24 years of age, has played four years in the NBA thus far with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Houston Rockets. Porter Jr. did have a career year with the Rockets in 2022-23, averaging 19.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 1.4 steals per game on 44.2 percent shooting from the field and 36.6 percent from three.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Clippers break silence on decision to sign Kevin Porter Jr.

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/what-happened-kevin-porter-jr');   ga('set', 'title', 'What happened to Kevin Porter Jr.?');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/What-happened-to-Kevin-Porter-Jr.jpg"></figure><h1>What happened to Kevin Porter Jr.?</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-06-13T08:11:31-07:00">June 13th, 8:11am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-06-13T08:11:31-07:00">June 13th, 8:11am</time><address><a>Derick Quinanola</a>With a proficient background in basketball, NFL, and football, Derick Quinanola uses his knowledge to write blogs for readers that are both entertaining and informative. He has been writing with ClutchPoints for years and has developed an understanding of the type of content fans resonate with.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Evergreen</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Not too long ago, Kevin Porter Jr. started getting his <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/players/ba400a28/kevin-porter-jr">life on track</a>. After a controversial start with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Porter resurrected his career on the Houston Rockets as the team’s starting point guard from the 2020-21 to 2022-23 campaigns. But once he was arrested for assaulting his girlfriend in 2023, Porter was back at square one.</p><h2><b>Kevin Porter Jr.’s time in the NBA has been a roller coaster</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Kevin-Porter-Jr.-of-the-Rockets.jpg"><figcaption>Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>As a player never short on talent, Porter’s biggest problem has always been staying out of trouble. Even during his freshman season at USC, Porter was suspended indefinitely for <a href="https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/25754912/kevin-porter-jr-usc-trojans-suspended-game-vs-oregon-ducks" rel="noopener">personal conduct issues</a>. Once he made the NBA, the problems piled on. As the 30th overall pick by the Cavs in the 2019 NBA Draft, he showed glimpses of his potential</p><p>But once his promising rookie season was over, the off-court issues took over the headlines once again. He was arrested for improperly handling a firearm which caused him to miss most of the next season, and before he could play a game, another incident took place. He had an <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/kevin-porter-jr-s-troubled-past-well-before-locker-room-outburst-with-cavs-leading-to-rockets-trade">outburst</a> in the team’s locker room after discovering they moved his locker to accommodate the recently acquired Taurean Prince.</p><p>This behavior led the Cavaliers to part ways with him for close to nothing (a top-55 protected second round pick) to the Rockets. On a new team with no expectations, Porter took advantage of his opportunity. Over the next two seasons, he established himself as the team’s starting point guard, earning a four-year, $82.5 million contract extension in the process.</p><h2><b>Kevin Porter Jr. gets himself into trouble once again</b></h2><p>Despite his newfound success, Porter relapsed, leading to a major setback. In September 2023, he was arrested for assaulting his girlfriend, WNBA player Kysre Gondrezick. When the initial investigations were done, Gondrezick reportedly had injuries to her eye and back. However, Porter reached a plea deal four months later, avoiding a lengthy legal battle and giving himself another chance to get his life and career back on track.</p><p>Following this incident, the Rockets decided to part ways with Porter by trading him to the Oklahoma City Thunder, but he was immediately waived by his new team. Fast forward to the present, and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/ex-rockets-cavs-rising-star-kevin-porter-jr-finds-new-team-but-not-in-the-nba" rel="noopener">Porter’s basketball journey</a> now brings him across the world with PAOK BC in Greece making $10,000 a season.</p><p>Far from the spotlight and pressure of the NBA, Porter can focus on his game and personal development. This new chapter is his chance to prove that he’s finally changed and fulfill his potential as a basketball player.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

What happened to Kevin Porter Jr.?

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/rockets-made-right-call-moving-kevin-porter-jr');   ga('set', 'title', 'Why Rockets made right call moving on from Kevin Porter Jr.');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/why-rockets-made-right-call-moving-on-from-kevin-porter-jr.jpeg"></figure><h1>Why Rockets made right call moving on from Kevin Porter Jr.</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-04-01T13:15:22-07:00">April 1st, 1:15pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-04-01T13:15:22-07:00">April 1st, 1:15pm</time><address><a>Jeremy Gretzer</a>Jeremy Gretzer joins ClutchPoints with a unique blend of experience in both the performing arts and sports journalism. A Houston native, Jeremy is happy to receive the opportunity as a beat reporter for ClutchPoints covering the Rockets. During his tenure at Back Sports Page, he honed his skills in sports writing, social media, and reporting, gaining valuable experience and having the opportunity to interact with notable figures from the NBA during media day, various charities, and pro camps events. His approach is analytical yet accessible, ensuring dedicated fans and casual readers alike can appreciate his insights.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Former Houston Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr. is finally playing professional basketball again. This time, it’s overseas.</p><p>Months after his initial felony arrest for assaulting former girlfriend and WNBA Player Kysre Gondrezick, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/ex-rockets-cavs-rising-star-kevin-porter-jr-finds-new-team-but-not-in-the-nba">Porter has signed with PAOK</a> in Greece, via Shams Charania of the Athletic. Recall hearing the news of his arrest, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/rockets-news-kevin-porter-jr-trade-thunder">the Rockets quickly dismissed Porter</a> from the team before the regular season and subsequently traded him to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Shortly thereafter, the Thunder waived him, leaving him without a team in the blink of an eye.</p><p>Although the arrest was subsequently downgraded to a misdemeanor, it’s still a stain on his reputation. The path is unclear on whether or not he will make a return to the NBA. Regardless, here’s why the Rockets deciding to sever ties with the 23-year-old proved to be a good decision.</p><h2><b>Rockets took a gamble</b></h2><p>On any NBA team, chemistry and reputation is important, on and off the court. The decision to move Porter from Houston wasn’t an isolated incident. Many are well aware of <a href="https://fadeawayworld.net/kevin-porter-jr-s-history-of-felony-assault-violence-and-altercation-in-strip-club">his history of anger</a> and violence on and off the court, which includes a five-year span from his time in college playing for the University of Southern California to the recent event that led to his release.</p><p>In this modern day and age, talent isn’t enough. Houston and Cleveland sought to keep him on their respective teams to preserve that talent but his messy track record on and off the court became larger to overcome.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">DISCLAIMER: This is dark.</p><p>It wasn't that long ago when Kevin Porter Jr. was getting his life together.</p><p>He was traded by the Cavs and fell into the aftermath of James Harden in Houston. Somehow, KPJ got the miraculous opportunity of becoming the Rockets' new point guard.</p><p>In his… <a href="https://t.co/0HSJxYMgzF">pic.twitter.com/0HSJxYMgzF</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1701795226203939243?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 13, 2023</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>His time in Houston was a hopeful attempt to start off fresh. A new slate. And the stats proved him to be a capable player. On paper, you have more scoring and playmaking. Last season, Porter averaged 19.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 5.7 assists with the Rockets while shooting 44.2% from the field, all career highs.</p><p>Having this type of talent slid in as a sixth-man position would have been huge for Houston. Another facilitator and shot creator to compliment Jalen Green and Fred VanVleet to provide more variety? Yes, please. Arguably, they might have been a completely different team.</p><p>However, on-paper doesn’t necessarily translate well on the court. The Rockets’ decision to make Porter’s contract extension non-guaranteed was indicative of their concerns about his behavioral patterns. Unfortunately, his history of violence and anger management persisted.</p><h2><b>What if Kevin Porter Jr. stayed on the Rockets?</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Houston_Rockets_guard_Kevin_Porter_Jr.jpeg"><figcaption>Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>Consider a scenario in which Porter stays on the team. VanVleet’s max contract signing was a clear indication that he would be the starting point guard alongside Jalen Green, leaving Porter to come off the bench. This technically cites a move out of the starting lineup, a slot he coveted upon his arrival to Houston.</p><p>Compare this to the infamous locker room incident in Cleveland. Notice the similarities? Would he have displayed early frustrations with his role against Rockets coach Ime Udoka and the staff? It’s certainly possible. The Rockets might’ve dealt with a cancer on the roster all season, thwarting a respectable leap in development.</p><p>Obviously, there’s no way to dictate this, given the current timeline. However, the Rockets are above .500 with a 37-36 record. They’ve taken extreme leaps in development without Porter, knocking on the door of a play-in tournament appearance, and are set up quite nicely for next season. The playoff window might not have been as open as quickly as it did within just a one-season turnaround.</p><h2><b>Further implications</b></h2><p>Let’s address another issue. Say you have KPJ play minutes off the bench. Where does that leave rookies Amen Thompson or Cam Whitmore? There’s a very good chance they don’t receive the fast-track development and recognition that they’ve had all season. Thompson’s already made a significant impact on the floor, averaging a double-double when starting games, and his ability to defend multiple positions gives more variety for Houston to utilize on the court.</p><p>Instead of the first two and a half months of the season, Betting on Cam Whitmore to play in the G-League for the whole year isn’t a hot take. His development at the NBA level has provided the Rockets a great offensive weapon to have, and possibly, for the long haul. In just 17.9 minutes, Whitmore averages 12.1 points on 46.3% shooting and 36% from deep. When he has the ball, scoring is his mission by any means necessary. This would not have happened with KPJ taking his minutes.</p><h2><b>Maturity matters</b></h2><p>In hindsight, the Rockets’ decision to part ways with Porter was a good thing. From his point of view, his time in Greece will give him time to experience playing overseas, improving his reputation and maturity to eventually make a return to the NBA. Whether it be the Rockets again or another team, his talent is still impeccable, and any team looking for extra scoring will be happy to take him on paper.</p><p>Yet, that can only get you so far in this profession. Arguably, image and outlook are all vastly important, especially if a player desires to put his brand on the NBA landscape.</p><p> </p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Why Rockets made right call moving on from Kevin Porter Jr.

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/rockets-news-kevin-porter-jr-plea-agreement-reckless-assault-case');   ga('set', 'title', 'Former Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr. reaches plea agreement in reckless assault case');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Former_Houston_guard_Kevin_Porter_Jr._reaches_plea_agreement_in_reckless_assault_case.webp"></figure><h1>Former Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr. reaches plea agreement in reckless assault case</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-01-23T08:04:43-08:00">January 23rd, 8:04am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-01-23T08:04:43-08:00">January 23rd, 8:04am</time><address><a>Matt Wadleigh</a>Matthew Wadleigh was born and raised in Oceanside and resides in Fresno. He lives with his wife and two dogs. He is a huge Southern California sports fan and a retired member of the Fresno State drumline.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>In September, former Houston Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/rockets-news-kevin-porter-jr-arrested-allegedly-assaulting-wnba-girlfriend" rel="noopener">was arrested</a> for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend, although he later had <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/rockets-news-kevin-porter-jr-assault-charges-dropped-amid-recent-arrest" rel="noopener">some charges dropped</a> due to insufficient evidence. Months later, the case seemed to come to a conclusion. Porter has now reached a <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1749815691711250687" rel="noopener">plea agreement</a> in the case, per the latest update from Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.</p><p>‘Former Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr., has reached a plea agreement of reckless assault in the third degree and harassment in the second degree involving his case with former girlfriend and WNBA player Kysre Gondrezick in a Manhattan Criminal Court, according to his lawyers….The former Rockets guard will be allowed to withdraw the plea to assault upon successful completion of the program after a year.’</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/rockets-news-kevin-porter-jr-trade-thunder" rel="noopener">Porter was later traded</a> to the Oklahoma City Thunder and immediately waived and became a free agent. However, his NBA future looks murky after the string of accusations <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/rockets-news-kevin-porter-jr-ex-girlfriend-claims-he-didnt-hit-her-on-same-day-hes-traded-to-thunder-waived" rel="noopener">involving him and his former girlfriend.</a></p><p>Porter and his representation are looking forward to moving on from these allegations. His attorneys, Phillip Jobe and Stephanie Kelemen, <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1749819574193955021" rel="noopener">released a statement</a>, per Wojnarowski:</p><p>“The resolution will allow Mr. Porter to put this incident, which involved false felony allegations and false facts, behind him with no criminal record and move forward.”</p><p>It remains to be seen whether an NBA team will take a chance on him, but after the allegations and everything that happened <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/kevin-porter-jr-s-troubled-past-well-before-locker-room-outburst-with-cavs-leading-to-rockets-trade" rel="noopener">earlier in his career</a> with the Cleveland Cavaliers, it seems unlikely that he will get another chance in the league.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Former Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr. reaches plea agreement in reckless assault case

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/rockets-news-jeremiah-robinson-earl-waived');   ga('set', 'title', 'Rockets make surprising roster move following Kevin Porter Jr. trade');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Jeremiah-Robinson-Earl-in-Rockets.jpg"></figure><h1>Rockets make surprising roster move following Kevin Porter Jr. trade</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2023-10-23T11:58:12-07:00">October 23rd, 11:58am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2023-10-23T13:16:44-07:00">October 23rd, 1:16pm</time><address><a>Brett Siegel</a>Brett Siegel joined ClutchPoints as a credentialed NBA insider and reporter in May 2023 after previously covering the NBA for Fastbreak on FanNation and NBA Analysis Network, as well as working with Louisville Basketball. From playing to coaching to covering the game as a media member, Brett has been involved with the game of basketball from many different perspectives. Breaking the news of various free agent signings, yearly NBA Draft news and other key stories around the league, Brett is always on the phone, getting the latest news and rumors around the NBA. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @BrettSiegelNBA.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Last week, the Houston Rockets struck a deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/rockets-news-kevin-porter-jr-trade-thunder" rel="noopener">trading Kevin Porter Jr.</a> and two future second-round picks in exchange for Victor Oladipo and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl. This was a move the Rockets made in order to get rid of Porter, as he had become a distraction to the team amid his <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/rockets-news-kevin-porter-jr-ex-girlfriend-claims-he-didnt-hit-her-on-same-day-hes-traded-to-thunder-waived" rel="noopener">ongoing domestic assault investigation</a>.</p><p>With the 2023-24 NBA season set to begin shortly, the Rockets decided to waive Robinson-Earl on Monday in order to get their <a href="https://x.com/ShamsCharania/status/1716518269857989014?s=20" rel="noopener">roster down to 15 players</a>, first reported by The Athletic’s Shams Charania.</p><p>The New York Knicks selected Robinson-Earl, 22, 32nd overall in the 2021 NBA Draft and then traded him to the Thunder. Starting in 36 of the 49 games he played in during his rookie season, the former Villanova Wildcat averaged 7.5 points and 5.6 rebounds per game while shooting 41.4 percent from the floor. He had missed about half the season with a fracture in his foot.</p><p>This past year, Robinson-Earl missed about two months’ worth of action due to a sprained ankle and was unable to fully crack the Thunder’s nightly rotation.</p><p>Given all the moves Oklahoma City had made this offseason and the fact that they had Chet Holmgren preparing to make his debut in the frontcourt, Robinson-Earl had become expendable. After the trade to Houston, it was a matter of time before they waived him given their roster size so close to the start of the new season.</p><p>Unless picked up by another team, Robinson-Earl will become an unrestricted free agent. Any other team in the league besides the Rockets and Thunder will be able to sign him, potentially to a two-way contract.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

2024-25 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
10.0	3.7	3.0	0.3	1.0

2024-25 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
10.0	3.7	3.0	0.3	1.0

Kevin Porter

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