Rockets Trade Kevin Porter Jr. After One Assault Charge is Dropped in Domestic Violence Case

In the midst of his domestic violence case, Kevin Porter Jr. has now been traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder but was waived immediately, sending him into free agency. 

ESPN Senior NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski announced the trade on Tuesday. 

 “The Houston Rockets are trading G Kevin Porter Jr., and two future second-round picks to the Oklahoma City Thunder — who are waiving Porter Jr., immediately. Thunder are sending the Rockets Victor Oladipo and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl in the transaction,” Wojnarowski reported on X.

This news comes after Monday, prosecutors dropped one of the assault charges against the basketball player surrounding domestic violence allegations.

Porter was initially charged in September after being accused of hitting his girlfriend, Kysre Gondrezick, multiple times and fracturing a vertebrae in her neck. On Monday, the second-degree assault charge was dismissed due to “insufficient evidence.” The investigation found that the neck injury may have been present before their fight. 

“What initially appeared to be a fractured vertebrae was not in fact an injury caused by the defendant,” Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Mirah Curzer told Judge Jay Weiner on Monday.

Porter’s charges of second-degree strangulation and third-degree assault are still pending. Porter was offered the opportunity to plead guilty and accept counseling, though he has turned down the offer and could now face seven years in prison. 

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Gondrezick has recently spoken out and denied that Porter assaulted her despite seeking medical help after their NYC dispute. Her sister, Kalabrya Haskins, also slammed Porter shortly after the assault was made public. Still, with Gondrezick refuting the attack, the legal battle could work in his favor.

Porter seemed to be in great standing with the Rockets before his arrest. Last October, he secured a four-year, $82.5 million extension. However, with the abuse revelations, Porter was reportedly told he could no longer be a part of the team. The Rockets began looking into a trade last month.

Porter has not spoken out about the career change nor the latest update in his case.