Per Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Houston Rockets have recalled Kevin Porter Jr. from their G League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. He will suit up for the Rockets after the All-Star break.
In the 15 games he played as a member of the Vipers, Porter averaged 24.1 points, 6.5 rebounds, 7.3 assists, and 1.5 steals per outing. He won't be able to replicate those numbers in the NBA right now, but he still has a lot of potential to be a dynamic player.
Houston still has John Wall, Victor Oladipo, and Eric Gordon, so Porter will not have too many touches at the onset. However, Oladipo's name is mentioned in trade rumors and he recently rejected the Rockets' contract extension offer. With Oladipo's future in a Houston uniform uncertain and Wall's length injury history, there could be some minutes for Porter.
His young NBA career has been quite eventful. The 20-year old was a first-round pick in the 2019 draft coming out of USC. In his rookie campaign with the Cleveland Cavaliers, he put up solid numbers considering he came off the bench. In January, he was traded by the Cavs to the Rockets for a protected future second-round pick after numerous altercations with the organization.
Following the departure of superstar James Harden, the Rockets have been in free fall. They are second to the last in the Western Conference with an 11-23 record. The team could use a fresh infusion of talent, like Porter. Also, he fits their timeline of getting younger and could grow together with promising big man Christian Wood.
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