Reports: Kevin Porter Jr., Rockets agree to 4-year extension
Kevin Porter Jr. averaged 15.6 points per game last season for the Rockets.
Houston Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr. and the team have reached an agreement on a four-year contract extension, according to multiple reports. The deal is for $82.5 million that will keep the former No. 30 pick of the 2019 draft in Houston.
Last season, Porter averaged 15.6 points, 4.4 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game while shooting 41.5% overall and 37.5% on 3-pointers. Overall, he has averaged 13.7 points, 3.9 rebounds and 4.7 assists in his NBA career, which included his rookie season with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Per reports, the deal is beneficial to both the Rockets and Porter as it provides him with stability after the Rockets have invested time and energy into Porter on and off the court.
Extension has a unique structure that allows for significant upside for Porter Jr. and protections for the Rockets. The Rockets have invested tremendous time and energy into Porter Jr., on and off court and they’re showing a commitment to keep developing him as a cornerstone.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 17, 2022
Kevin Porter Jr.’s four-year extension is only guaranteed for $15.86 million, all in Year 1, sources said. The contract includes June trigger dates after first season, but the Rockets can essentially release Porter at any point without further pay up to the $82.5M. https://t.co/A806sRcnaE
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 17, 2022
Porter was acquired by the Rockets for a future second-round pick during the 2020-21 season after his rookie season in Cleveland.
The Rockets went 20-62 last season after winning just 17 games the season before. The nosedive came after the team reached the postseason for eight straight seasons before trading away all its stars and most of its veterans, including James Harden.
A year after opening the season with four 19-year-olds on the roster, the Rockets will again field one of the youngest teams in the league. There are 10 players who are 21 or younger, including three starters in Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun — both 20 — and 19-year-old rookie Jabari Smith, Jr., who was the third overall pick in this year’s draft.
Porter is part of the team’s core as it looks to climb back into relevancy in the Western Conference. Houston has posted back-to-back seasons of 20 wins or less, the first time that has taken place in the franchise’s history. Green leads this extraordinarily young team that isn’t predicted to do much this year but is laying the foundation to return to contention.
The Rockets open the 2022-23 NBA season against the Hawks on Wednesday (7:30 ET, NBA League Pass).
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
