Kevin Porter Jr. has agreed to a four-year, $82.5 million rookie extension with the Houston Rockets, the team announced Monday. Notably, according to The Athletic, only the first season of the deal is fully guaranteed. The contract includes June trigger dates thereafter, essentially allowing the Rockets to release Porter at any point in the contract after that first season without having to pay the balance of the contract.
Porter has largely played well since arriving in Houston in 2021, averaging 15.9 points and 6.2 assists per game as a Rocket. Last season, he started as Houston's nominal point guard in a backcourt alongside No. 2 overall pick Jalen Green. In signing Porter to this contract, Houston is essentially betting that Porter can grow into a full-time point guard despite having a skill set geared more towards scoring. If he can't, they've protected themselves with that non-guarantee.
That protection will be important, as talent has never been the question with Porter. Initially drafted No. 30 overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers, he was dealt following an outburst when the team moved him into a different locker. Rockets coach Stephen Silas suspended Porter for another incident in 2022 in which he allegedly threw an object at assistant coach John Lucas. Porter also dealt with weapons charges while playing for the Cavaliers, but they were later dropped.
Porter is talented enough to outplay this contract comfortably. His ability to do so will depend on whether or not he is able to control his temper. If he can't? The Rockets can escape his contract thanks to its non-guaranteed structure. That makes this a put up or shut up sort of contract for Porter. If he does his job, he'll be paid handsomely to play alongside Green on an ascending Rockets team.
