Rockets recall prospect guard Kevin Porter Jr. from NBA G League
As expected, second-year guard Kevin Porter Jr. is rejoining the Rockets in time for the second half of the 2020-21 season. Porter has played in recent weeks with the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) Vipers, which is Houston’s affiliate organization in the NBA G League.
Though the Vipers qualified for next week’s playoffs at the G League bubble in Florida, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports that Porter will be traveling to Houston, instead, to play with the parent club. Now 20 years old, Porter is viewed as a talented backcourt prospect with considerable athleticism, scoring prowess, and defensive potential.
In 15 games with the Vipers, Porter averaged 24.1 points (44.8% FG), 7.3 assists, 6.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 36.0 minutes per game. He’s largely played point guard for Rio Grande Valley, and he’ll initially slide in as the backup to John Wall when he reports to the Rockets.
The Houston Rockets have recalled Kevin Porter Jr. from the G League’s Rio Grande Valley Vipers, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. This ends Porter’s productive stint in G League bubble ahead of Playoffs, and he will now play for the Rockets post All-Star break.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 6, 2021
For the Rockets, Porter is easily the highest-profile player on RGV’s roster. After being selected in the first round of the 2019 NBA draft, the 6-foot-4 lefty averaged 10.0 points in 23.2 minutes per game during his rookie season with the Cavaliers. However, his 2020-21 activities in Cleveland were extremely limited due to numerous personal issues.
Since Houston’s trade for Porter in mid-January, head coach Stephen Silas has stressed the importance of a slow reintegration plan, and time at the developmental bubble near Orlando was part of that process.
Now, after a month’s worth of games, the Rockets (11-23) believe Porter is ready to contribute again at the NBA level. With the team entering the All-Star break on a 13-game skid, they could certainly use a spark.
