Rockets trade Kevin Porter Jr. to Thunder as court case continues

The Houston Rockets traded guard Kevin Porter Jr., a day after he declined a plea agreement in a case stemming from an alleged attack on his former girlfriend at a New York City hotel in September.

The Rockets shipped the embattled guard to the Oklahoma City Thunder, who are expected to immediately waive Porter. The team also sent two future second-round draft picks to the Thunder in exchange for two-time All-Star guard Victor Oladipo as well as forward/center Jeremiah Robinson-Earl.

The picks sent to the Thunder will come in 2027 via the Minnesota Timberwolves and 2028 via the Milwaukee Bucks.

The trade continues a tumultuous stretch for Porter.

Prosecutors revealed Monday during a hearing in Manhattan that the second-degree assault charge against Porter would be dropped due to "insufficient evidence" that he was responsible for fracturing one of his ex-girlfriend's neck vertebrae as initially presumed and charged by prosecutors during his arraignment.

Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Mirah Curzer cited insufficient evidence as the reason for dropping the charge of second-degree assault, telling the criminal court judge the neck injury "was not in fact an injury caused by the defendant." The New York Post reported prosecutors revealed a review of medical records showed Porter's former girlfriend suffered from a congenital neck issue.

Porter, who had been ordered to stay away from the Rockets since his Sept. 11 arrest, reportedly was offered a plea deal to lesser charges with the condition that he take part in counseling, but he rejected the offer.

He's next scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 27 to face charges of second-degree strangulation and third-degree assault stemming from the alleged incident at the Millennium Hotel.

Whether he'll be playing in the NBA then remains up in the air.

Porter's former girlfriend, in an interview published Tuesday by the New York Post, denied allegations that Porter beat and choked her in the New York hotel room, and said he doesn't have a history of abusing her.

"My injuries don't support any of those claims," Porter's former girlfriend told the Post, blaming the Manhattan District Attorney's Office and the police department for the inaccuracies.

"He didn't hit me. He never balled his fists up and hit me. 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."

She said the district attorney's office didn't interview her or get access to her full medical records prior to releasing details of the alleged attack and her injuries.

"It happened very fast, not to the degree of what was reported," she told the Post. "And it was an argument that occurred in the room for not even 10 seconds."

She told the Post that her and Porter are no longer dating, and that she hasn't been in contact with him since his arrest because of a protective order, which was just lifted on Monday.

Porter, 23, averaged 19.2 points, 5.7 assists and 5.3 rebounds in 59 games (all starts) for the Rockets last season.

He signed a four-year, $82.5 million contract last October and is owed $15.9 million for the upcoming 2023-24 season. However, the deal is structured with only $1 million guaranteed for 2024-25 and no further guarantees.

ESPN reported that the Thunder will swallow the $16.9 million of guaranteed salary left on Porter's contract, and the Rockets will save $5.5 million in salary.

Rockets general manager Rafael Stone said at the team's media day earlier this month that the allegations against Porter were "deeply troubling."

"What's left for the team to do is evaluate the best steps for our organization that remain in compliance with the league domestic violence policy," he said. "This is now a league matter, and that's where it's at."

Apparently, Stone and the Rockets front office decided a trade was in their best interest.

Oladipo, 31, averaged 10.7 points, 3.5 assists and 3.0 rebounds in 42 games for the Miami Heat last season before being traded to the Thunder in July.

Last season, his second in the league, the 22-year-old Robinson-Earl averaged 6.8 points, 1.0 assists and 4.2 rebounds in 43 games (20 starts) for the Thunder.

The Rockets, in a corresponding move, waived forward Matthew Mayer on Tuesday.

--Field Level Media/Reuters