Houston Rockets Explore Kevin Porter Jr. Trade Amid Assault Allegations

The Houston Rockets are actively seeking a trade for guard Kevin Porter Jr. following serious charges of felony assault and strangulation related to an alleged incident with his girlfriend, according to sources.

Reports indicate that the Rockets have reached out to multiple teams, offering draft compensation as an incentive to acquire Porter. He is currently under a four-year, $82.5 million deal, with the 2023-24 season set at $15.9 million, along with three non-guaranteed years. In potential trade scenarios involving Porter's contract, the Rockets are aiming to use his salary to acquire a player under contract who can make an immediate impact on the team.

Sources suggest that the Rockets are keeping their options open regarding Porter's future with the team.


With their recent signings of Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks in free agency and the selection of Amen Thompson as the No. 4 pick in the June draft, the Rockets are focused on significantly improving their competitiveness for the upcoming season.

The NBA has initiated an investigation into Porter following an alleged incident at a New York City hotel, resulting in his girlfriend sustaining a fractured neck vertebra and a cut above her right eye.

Teams considering taking on Porter's salary through a trade must weigh the implications of acquiring a player facing felony assault and strangulation charges. They also need to assess whether the draft picks offered are sufficient compensation for essentially an expiring contract, likely to be waived upon trade.

Porter was released on $75,000 bail on Tuesday and is scheduled to appear in court in Manhattan on October 16. League sources indicate that he is not expected to attend the Rockets' training camp in early October.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver commented on the situation, acknowledging the severity of the allegations but stating that