The Houston Rockets find themselves in a very bad situation with 2019 first-round pick Kevin Porter Jr. right ahead of the start of training camp.

Earlier this week, Porter was arrested in New York City after allegedly assaulting his girlfriend. Since being taken into custody, more details from the incident have come to light, as Porter apparently left the women with a fractured neck vertebra and a cut above her right eye at the hotel they were staying at in Manhattan.

On Wednesday, The Athletic's Shams Charania reported that the Rockets were exploring trade possibilities for Porter in attempts to replace him with a player who can contribute during the 2023-24 season. Charania added more details to this report on Thursday, as Houston is now “actively engaged with multiple teams” on a potential trade.

With this incident still being under investigation by the authorities, as well as the NBA, Porter's career in the league is very much in doubt. The Rockets are looking to move the 23-year-old in order to replace him before the start of the 2023-24 season and they are dangling draft picks in front of teams as trade bait to try get Porter off their roster.

The general assumption around the league is that any team that potentially trades for Porter will eventually waive him as a result of his domestic violence case.

The four-year, $72.6 million contract that he signed with Houston in 2022 is just now beginning. Porter is supposed to make $15.86 million during the 2023-24 season before his contract becomes partially-guaranteed during the 2024-25 season, followed by being non guaranteed during the 2025-26 season. The NBA can potentially void this contract under the provisions of the Domestic Violence Policy in the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

“The allegations here are horrific. There are no questions about that,” Commissioner Adam Silver firmly stated on Wednesday at the league's Board of Governors meeting. “But I don't know anything more about the actual facts other than reading those allegations. We have a domestic violence policy that was collectively bargained with the player's association… I think here, when we're not in season, there is a little bit more of an opportunity to absorb more of what's happening before we act. I think if it were a case when we were in the middle of the season, we would be compelled to do something faster.

“And so, while ultimately we're required to be differential to law enforcement when there's an investigation, I think this has given us the opportunity, because we are not in season, to take a little bit of time to understand the situation.”

Porter has spent the last three seasons of his now four-year playing career with the Rockets. In 146 games with the team, he has averaged 17.2 points, 6.0 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game.

It is not hard to believe that his NBA career is coming to an end, especially given that the league does not condone any domestic violence chargers whatsoever. Further details on Kevin Porter Jr.'s basketball future and his charges will be released as his investigation continues.