According to a report by Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Houston Rockets seek to trade their guard, Kevin Porter Jr, following his arrest and felony charges for assaulting and strangling his girlfriend on Monday.
The report reveals the Rockets have contacted several teams and proposed draft compensation as a motivation to acquire Porter. Porter is under contract for four years, with a guaranteed salary of $15.9 million in the first year of the deal, which runs until 2023-24.
Sources within the league suggest that the Rockets intend to utilize Porter's contract to pursue a player who is currently under contract and can immediately impact the team.
Charania was informed by a league insider that the Rockets are considering various possibilities for Porter's future. Nevertheless, considering his legal troubles, it's difficult to envision any NBA franchise agreeing to a transaction with him. Moreover, trading Porter instead of releasing him outright would not be favorable from a public relations standpoint.
On Tuesday, prosecutors declared that Kysre Gondrezick, Porter's girlfriend and a former WNBA player, had sustained a fractured neck vertebra and a cut above her right eye, reportedly inflicted by the Rockets guard during an attack.
According to the prosecutors, Porter continued the assault on Gondrezick until she escaped their room at the Millennium Hilton in Manhattan, with blood all over her. Gondrezick claimed that Porter hit her face multiple times, and Mirah Curzer, the assistant district attorney of Manhattan, revealed that Porter had a record of mistreating Gondrezick.
On Wednesday, reporters had a conversation with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver about the current situation.
"The accusations presented are undoubtedly appalling, yet I am not privy to any further information beyond what has been stated. Our organization has established a domestic violence protocol through collaborative negotiations with the Players Association, who share our unwavering stance on this matter. It is important to consider the individual circumstances of each case.
"During the off-season, I believe we have a chance to take in the situation before taking action. From my extensive experience in handling such cases, I have learned not to make assumptions or solely rely on sensationalized news. Instead, it is crucial to comprehend the situation by analyzing both law enforcement's findings and conducting direct interviews. Currently, we are still in the information-gathering phase."
The report has it that Porter, aged 23, entered a plea of not guilty for the charges of felony assault and strangulation related to the incident that occurred on Monday at the Millennium Hilton situated near the United Nations in Manhattan. As per the prosecutors, Porter continued his actions until his girlfriend, Kysre Gondrezick, a previous WNBA player, fled to the corridor, drenched in blood.
During his short court appearance, Porter was not obligated to plead. The police had detained him since his apprehension at approximately 6:45 a.m. on Monday. Still, he was granted bail of $75,000 and instructed to refrain from contacting Gondrezick upon his release on Tuesday. In court, Assistant Manhattan District Attorney Mirah Curzer emphasized the severity of the domestic violence charges.