The last time Los Angeles Clippers guard-forward Kevin Porter Jr. was seen in an NBA game was on Apr. 7, 2023, as his Houston Rockets defeated the Charlotte Hornets. Playing 37 minutes, he was tied with Jalen Green for the team-high with 26 points, while adding five assists and two steals. The Seattle native did most of his damage from the free-throw line, going 10-for-12 from the charity stripe.
Since then, Porter’s basketball journey has had dramatic twists and turns. That following September, Porter was arrested on suspicion of assaulting his then-girlfriend, Kysre Gondrizeck. A month later, the Rockets traded him to the Oklahoma City Thunder, who immediately waived him. Then, in January, he pled guilty to domestic violence charges before signing with Greece’s PAOK B.C. in April.
To say that people thought they had seen the last of Porter in the NBA wouldn’t have been untrue. However, reeling from the loss of Paul George and unable to sign DeMar DeRozan in his stead, the Clippers agreed to a deal with Porter on July 10.
On the first day of training camp, Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue was asked if Porter would be part of the team’s rotation. This question was presumably raised not only because of his past, both the positive and negative experiences, but because of LA’s George-less roster as well.
“He definitely can make an impact,” Lue told the media, as transcribed by Clutch Points' Tomer Azarly. “You don't get paid $20 million a year in Houston if you can't play. He's a great talent. It's gonna be my job to make sure we get the best out of him.”
With the need to replace George, who averaged 23.0 points and 4.5 assists per game with the Clips, Lue’s focus seems to be on what Porter can provide offensively. In his last NBA season, Porter averaged 19.2 points and 5.7 assists per game.
“He can score the basketball, he can make plays, and I'm gonna stay on him and coach him hard. He’s a great talent,” Lue reiterates. “For us to have success, he's gonna be a big part of that, so I'm excited for him and the opportunity to coach him.”
