Clippers Give Second Chance To Volatile Ex-Rockets Star Kevin Porter Jr.
The Los Angeles Clippers are taking a precarious chance with this free agency Day 1 signing.
Sunday marked the beginning of NBA free agency, and aside from losing Paul George after a failed Big 3 experiment in LA, the Clippers are trying to rebound by buying more pieces, starting with former Houston Rockets star Kevin Porter Jr.
Clippers' Fast Signing Is A Head-Scratcher
The Clippers agreed to a two-year deal, with a player option, on Sunday with KPJ, within hours of the free agency window opening.
Given Porter's troubled history from Cleveland to Houston, the Clippers' signing was a surprising move to make with haste.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - APRIL 04: Kevin Porter Jr. #3 of the Houston Rockets reacts after missing a shot in the second half of the game against the Denver Nuggets at Toyota Center on April 04, 2023 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Alex Bierens de Haan/Getty Images)
Last season, Porter spent the year playing basketball in Greece, hoping to ride out the negative headlines from his 2023 arrest. Porter's ceiling in the NBA was high before his off-the-court concerns factored into his profile. Now, the Clippers are giving KPJ a second chance, not based on any character rehab but for his strong season in Greece.
Playing for the Greek team PAOK, Porter averaged 22.0 points, 9.8 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 2.8 steals per game.
KPJ's Troubled History
Porter Jr., 24, saw his tenure in Houston cut short last year after being arrested for strangling his girlfriend in a New York hotel, eventually charged with felony domestic assault. Porter pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault and harassment charges alleged by WNBA player Kysre Gondrezick.
Prosecutors alleged that Porter punched Gondrezick in the face and choked her until she couldn't breathe. As OutKick's Mark Harris reported, a criminal complaint alleged that she was found bloodied and bruised by hotel staff after fleeing the room they were sharing.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 20: Kevin Porter Jr. #3 of the Houston Rockets looks on during the game against the Golden State Warriors at Toyota Center on March 20, 2023 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Alex Bierens de Haan/Getty Images)
One month after his arrest, Houston traded the young and troubled star to Oklahoma City, where he was promptly waived.
Porter was on his way to being an ascending star on the Rockets.
In 2022-23, KPJ was a valuable scoring asset despite playing on a failing squad, averaging 19.2 points and 5.3 rebounds in 2023 (59 games).
Porter was responsible for several flare-ups and run-ins with the law before landing in Houston. Porter started as a first-round pick (No. 30) with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2019. During the 2020-21 season, Porter was arrested for losing control of his vehicle while driving. Authorities found a loaded .45-caliber handgun and weed in the Mercedes-Benz. Porter also became a problem for the Cavs' locker room, throwing tantrums and becoming a dysfunctional part of a young core.
The Clippers are asking KPJ to prove he's matured since his arrest last year, while fans in LA question the franchise's tact with this move. No matter how good his scoring numbers are, Porter Jr. has a long, long way to go before fans accept him.
Owner Steve Ballmer will surely want Clippers fans to be all in on next year's season, which will debut the Clippers' new home stadium, the Intuit Dome, in Inglewood.
From an ethical standpoint, Kevin Porter's second chance in the NBA shouldn't come as a major surprise.
Free agent and former Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges is expected to land a bigger contract this offseason despite also having a history filled with domestic assault allegations. Meanwhile, gambling violations can lead to a lifetime ban.
The scales of justice in the Association continue to make no sense.
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