Kevin Porter Jr. traded from Houston to Oklahoma City, to be waived after deal closes, ESPN reports
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Kevin Porter Jr.'s promising days with the Houston Rockets have ended, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Tuesday.
Porter, 23, who's accused of attacking his girlfriend - a former WNBA player, was reportedly traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder along with two second-round draft picks in exchange for Victor Oladipo and Jeremiah Earl-Robinson.
The video is from Sept. 11, 2023, in the wake of Porter's arrest.
The Rockets confirmed the report Tuesday evening, adding that they've waived forward Matthew Mayer in a related move.
Sources also told Wojnarowski that the Thunder will waive Porter, whom Oklahoma City will pay the balance of the $16.9 million in guaranteed money on his four-year existing contract.
Porter's future in the NBA is in significant question after being arrested for an alleged attack on girlfriend Kysre Gondrezick, a former WNBA player, at the Millennium Hilton near the United Nations on Sept. 11 in New York.
During Porter's arraignment a day later, prosecutors initially said that the attack left her with a fractured neck vertebra and a deep cut above her right eye. Still, Manhattan prosecutors dropped one of the assault charges against Porter on Monday, acknowledging that he did not fracture Gondrezick's neck during the alleged assault.
"What initially appeared to be a fractured vertebrae was not in fact an injury caused by the defendant," Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Mirah Curzer told Judge Jay Weiner on Monday.
Porter still faces charges of second-degree strangulation and third-degree assault, to which he has pleaded not guilty.
Porter was barred from attending training camp with the Rockets in the wake of the arrest.
The University of Southern California product was drafted as the No. 30 pick to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2019 after the Trojans suspended him due to conduct issues.
He played in his rookie year but was not with the Cavs in the following season due to personal reasons.
He was traded to the Rockets for a top-55 protected second-round pick in January 2021 in the wake of a shouting match with Cavaliers officials.
The Rockets are bringing back Oladipo, who first landed with the team through a trade in the pandemic-shortened 2020-2021 season. After appearing in 20 games, though, Houston shipped the guard to Miami.
Oladipo has $9.5 million on an expiring contract and is rehabilitating a torn patellar tendon in his left knee.
Robinson-Earl has a $1.9 million guarantee this season and a $2 million team option for next year.
The picks sent to Oklahoma City are a 2027 second-round pick via the Minnesota Timberwolves and a 2028 second-round pick via the Milwaukee Bucks to the Thunder, ESPN reported.
ESPN contributed to this report.
SEE ALSO FROM 2022: Kevin Porter Jr. suspended from Rockets' game against 76ers, sources say
