The Rockets’ plan for Kevin Porter Jr.? Patience, progress and playmaking I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul —Invictus; Willam Ernest Henry In the most layman of terms, the Rockets have a plan for Kevin Porter Jr. You could, of course, apply that to every trade in NBA history — teams don’t typically acquire players without some semblance of a strategy — but Houston’s vision for the second-year forward is one enveloped in patience and progress. At 11-17, the Rockets aren’t in an immediate rush to see what Porter looks like with the team, especially during a time when it’s hard to get a decent read on what this group actually is. Now, the circumstances that ultimately led Porter to Houston are atypical by nature. It would be hyperbole to say he fell into the Rockets’ lap given his abrupt, uncomfortable exit from the Cleveland Cavaliers. But the Rockets are elated to have such a prodigious talent on their hands. Two years ago, the Rockets were an NBA title contender that had already moved both of their 2019 draft picks in a bid to improve their present-day roster. There was no draft capital on hand to snag a prospect like Porter, a lottery talent who dropped to the 30th overall pick due to off-court concerns. Now he’s a Rocket — kind of. Thanks to a rash of injuries that have forced Houston into 16 different starting lineups this season, head coach Stephen Silas could have easily kept Porter with the team in Houston following the trade. Instead, he made the call to send the USC product down to join the Rio Grande Vipers in the G League bubble, where The Athletic understands Porter will remain until the conclusion of the Vipers’ season. That’s where the beginning stage of the organization’s plan to revive Porter’s career will begin. The natural question is how much will the coaching staff realistically learn about a player going up against weaker competition. Turns out, there’s plenty. For starters, Porter will be able to instantly immerse himself in Houston’s system playing under Mahmoud Abdelfattah, the Vipers’ 33-year old head coach. He’ll get a lion’s share of game time, allowing himself to work back into peak playing shape after not playing a minute of professional basketball this season. More importantly, however, Porter will be given the chance to spread his wings as a player and step into a leadership role. The Vipers are just 3-5 over their first eight games in the Orlando bubble, but just like their NBA affiliate, they have gone through their fair share of ups and downs. Porter’s leadership has been one of the bright spots of their season and a positive development in the young man’s growth and progress. “He just told me to never let too many things bother you,” said Vipers guard Armoni Brooks of Porter. “Try not to get too high or too low, just stay even. Things won’t always go your way in games — sometimes you’ll play really good, sometimes you’ll play really bad. But at the end of the day, you gotta find a way to keep contributing so we can put the team in the best position to win as many games as possible.” On the court, Porter’s play has been impressive: He’s averaging 23.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game on 44.1 percent shooting from the field while shooting 29.1 percent from 3 and 76.2 percent from the free throw line. That’s not too much of a surprise; he’s the best player on either team every time he steps on the floor. Playing devil’s advocate would mean turning one’s nose up at the shooting splits — and the efficiency will need to pick up once he’s back in the NBA facing bigger, faster players. But, man, some of these box scores are just flat-out impressive: Porter Jr. in the bubble GAME POINTS FGM REBOUNDS ASSISTS STEALS MINUTES vs. Raptors 905 25 9 3 4 1 32 vs. Caliente Clippers 21 8 5 7 3 31 vs. Mad Ants 27 10 4 8 1 36 vs. Westchester 32 12 7 9 2 37 vs. Lakeland Magic 13 5 5 4 1 32 vs. Austin Spurs 16 5 4 6 2 35 vs. Long Island Nets 29 11 4 5 0 37 Here’s how Porter stacks up against other players in the bubble. Yes, we know these are just G League numbers. We’re showing them to you anyway. Porter Jr.'s offensive breakdown PLAY TYPE % TIME POINTS PER POSSESSION PERCENTILE P&R Ball Handler 37.2 0.844 74th Isolation 20.3 0.857 63rd Transition 20.3 1.029 58th Spot Up 8.7 0.667 25th Porter’s game has long been compared to that of James Harden’s: the shared dominant hand, the handles, the upper body strength, the on-court swagger and quirkiness. The Rockets see the similarities, too, and want to mold them accordingly. Harden’s career arc evolved from an off-ball shooting guard to a player whose best work was done with the ball in his hands, allowing him the freedom and space to operate as a primary playmaker. Sources say Silas envisions a similar role for Porter with the second unit. Silas and his coaching staff see Porter as a point guard, different from the shooting guard/small forward role he played last season with the Cavaliers. While Porter occasionally handled the ball as a rookie in Cleveland, he never played the role exclusively; per tracking data via NBA.com, only 26.2 percent of Porter’s possessions came as the ball handler in the pick-and-roll. Right now, John Wall is Houston’s sole true point guard. The current second unit lacks a traditional playmaking punch, a continuation of a longstanding problem. Eric Gordon can control the offense and has actually excelled with the ball in his hands this season, grading in the 90th percentile and scoring a whopping 1.11 points per possession. But the coaching staff also knows Gordon can thrive in a free, attacking role, which is also something Houston could use following the Harden trade. Porter’s emergence will be paramount toward Gordon being able to fully shift his focus. Examining Porter’s potential fit in Houston is essentially a reverse per-36 course. His production will be scaled back to fit with players such as Wall, Gordon, Victor Oladipo and Christian Wood. Sources tell The Athletic Houston envisions a rough 2:1 split of the point guard minutes between Wall and Porter — so, if Wall plays 32 minutes as a lead guard, the remaining 16 would be played by Porter. In the bubble, meanwhile, Porter is tied with Kenyon Martin Jr. for the team lead in minutes at 34 per game, and Porter’s 29.3 usage rating is tops for the Vipers. This makes sense, as Porter is the centrifugal figure for Rio Grande’s offense; they rely on his skill set to set up how they want to attack defenses. “I’m just gonna give the ball to Kevin Porter and see what he does,” Abdelfattah joked earlier in the season. It’s worked relatively well so far. His vision and decision-making in the half court often ebbs and flows, sometimes looking refined and crisp while other times a bit off. But, per NBA.com, he also fourth in assist percentage (29.9) among starters in the bubble. Judging by his passing flowchart, Porter has quickly recognized the more skilled players surround him. His most common assists are to Martin (11), Brodric Thomas (seven) and Brooks (six). Image courtesy of PBP Stats The Vipers, like the Rockets, employ a high number of pick-and-roll situations. Silas is big on gravity and drive-and-kick — simple actions that generate a high number of good looks. Porter’s shifty nature often freezes the defense, and his close handle lets him put pressure on defenses forcing a collapse. Then it’s a simple kick out to the perimeter. Call it Silas-ish. <<<see below for video 1 link>> Porter’s craftiness allows for self-creation, another factor in Houston’s offense. Perhaps more than anything else, Porter’s handles should give the Rockets the most hope in his development as a point guard. He is straight siiilky with it. There are parts of Harden in his dribbling but also tinges of Nate Robinson and Jamal Crawford. Watch him create just enough space in the corner, use the screen as an angular attack, knife his way into the midrange, avoid reaching hands with his left and then finishing with his right. That, my friends, is a peach of a play. <<<see below for video 2 link>> But he needs to clean up the turnovers. He’s already averaging 4.0 per game, fourth-highest among starters averaging at least 25 minutes per game. Two names higher than him on the list — Nico Mannion and Jordan Poole — have NBA experience, which explains their tendency to hold on to the ball. Porter, meanwhile, will need to work on his progressions and reads. Defenses at the highest level will send different looks at him. He’ll need to be on the same page with whoever’s screening for him, be it Wood or someone else. Lack of communication is the silent killer of half-court execution.
<<<see below for video 3 link>> If the first 28 games of the season are a good measure, Silas puts a ton of pride in his defense, and Porter needs to continue to improve there. The good news is he has exerted more effort on that end over the Vipers’ last three games, posting individual defensive ratings of 98.6, 102.7 and 88.2. For the season, Porter grades out as league average, checking in at the 48th percentile in overall defense while holding opponents to .833 points per possession. He’s shown to be good defending standstill shooters and even better guarding opposing ball handlers in pick-and-rolls, with a stingy .545 points per possession allowed. Plays like the one below stick out and should give Houston optimism. The Rockets are becoming more confident in playing small. Downsizing means the return of more switching defense and a reduction in drop coverage — if not an outright elimination — at least until Wood returns. Porter’s long wingspan allows him to be a solid deterrent, assuming he continues to develop good defensive habits. Watch him guard the point of attack, show in the middle, switch out to the perimeter, latch onto the big and win the box out battle before the shot even touches the rim. This makes it easier for gang rebounding and the sealing off of defensive possessions, giving birth to transition offense — another Silas-ish feature. <<<see below for video 4 link>> “He’s moving in the right direction,” Silas said on Sunday. “He’s playing the point exclusively and making plays for himself and teammates. He’s skilled — super skilled. His ball-handling is good. At some point, when he gets back, he’ll be a part of what we’re doing. But him getting in shape, game reps and having the success he’s having down there is important to build on. It’s very similar to what we do, so when he gets back, hopefully, he’ll fit right in.” That will likely take time. Porter has gone through an awful lot in his personal life in a short period of time, and his childhood was difficult enough to affect even the toughest of characters. Houston knows that. But the Rockets also know he doesn’t have to consider himself alone in this league or with his new team. Rockets lead assistant John Lucas will help Porter a great deal. He has an extensive track record of working with players, drawing from his own experiences to assist those in need of guidance. But Lucas’ mentees are the first to admit he puts a great deal of responsibility on their shoulders to take ownership of their situations. When Danuel House was removed from the Orlando bubble, Lucas was on him every day about his focus. When Gordon completed a forgettable, injury-riddled 2019-20 season, Lucas challenged the veteran shooting guard to get in better shape. Lucas won’t enjoy the benefit of such daily hands-on time with Porter until he joins the senior team. When he does, it will be the next phase of the ongoing process to salvage the 20-year-old’s career. Already, Silas envisions the ways Porter can fit into Houston’s rotation, both in this season and beyond. But not every plan falls into place immediately. Houston is well prepared to see this one through. It’s on Porter to do the same.
Anyone know how to embed videos? I've numbered them in the article above 1. https://cdn.theathletic.com/app/uploads/2021/02/22041119/12-3.mp4 2. https://cdn.theathletic.com/app/uploads/2021/02/22042347/3-2.mp4 3. https://cdn.theathletic.com/app/uploads/2021/02/22044106/4-6.mp4 4. https://cdn.theathletic.com/app/uploads/2021/02/22050937/9-3.mp4
People tend to underestimate how difficult mental illness can be cured. It lurks around. One nasty trigger and that’s it, no matter how much positivity and hope you have built along. Porter’s issue has never been basketball. It will likely never be. It will always be how much of a consistent normal person he can show himself to be. Plenty of positive signs so far. But no one can be so sure given such a short length of time.
This article from the LA Times really highlights KPJ's troubled childhood. https://www.latimes.com/sports/usc/la-sp-kevin-porter-jr-usc-nba-draft-20190616-story.html
KPJ rated a mention here too - NBA young talent rankings, No. 50-36: From Immanuel Quickley to P.J. Washington 50 to 36 players [...] Just missed Listed in alphabetical order Kevin Porter Jr., G, Rockets: Talent-wise, Porter should be on this list. He was very good as a rookie last season. I had him as a lottery grade in the 2019 NBA Draft despite his fall down the order due to character concerns. Unfortunately, those worries have put his career into flux, as Porter was traded from the Cavaliers to the Rockets following a food-hurling incident in the team’s locker room. https://theathletic.com/2336148/202...0-36-from-immanuel-quickley-to-pj-washington/
It sounds like the plan after the break is to have Porter run backup point, hopefully with him, Wall and Gordon as a 3 guard lineup during crunch time!
You are ignoring everything he has done since High School he has been asked to leave from every team he has been on since then. It's plain to see you have no idea of his history and think they got rid of him just because of the locker incident when it's plain to see that was just the tipping point. We don't know what the support between the two teams are, you just think for some reason the rockets are better, you have no idea what his remedy is and you have no idea what will raise his confidence. What I do know is that the rockets and Lucas have enough info on what his issues are and chose for him to go to G league and that he will be back in a month when that season ends. I see no reason for him to be brought up and take on the pressure on having to replace Harden which a lot are already comparing him to. What credit should anyone give him he has been kicked of every team for 3 of the last 4 years?
And you know this how? Who is bringing him down and expecting a calamity, I have seen no one doing any of that? Nobody is saying don't root for him, I am just saying stop saying what you know his problems ar and what he needs to do to overcome them, like he needs to playing in Houston, you have no idea if that's a good thing for him.
He also slapped Mad Max in the locker room. He was hell on wheels before he started taking Islam seriously.
You dont think that if Kevin Porter Jr screwed up the media would not be all over it? Silas is tasking him with running point and getting acclimated to the HOU system? Did he b**** and pout that he was a shooting guard? Those of you who want to peer through the blinds with caution are entitled to that - go right ahead. All his transgressions have already been laid out, compared to truly notorious NBA players and while some of you believe that they are almost too much to overcome, I'll continue to have faith that he will, because I want to believe he can make it. He offers some glimpses into a metamorphosis that Houston had front row seats to in James. I want to be able to think that this franchise, and city are not so snakebit that any glimmer of hope gets trashed. There is no pressure on KPJ - this team sucks and he can be one of the biggest reasons for a turnaround. I think he's going to come back to the NBA with a chip and Im here for it. Remember all you have to say is "im glad I was wrong" and all the edgy and borderline hateful comments get expunged. Sweet deal. For a tanker and fake fan Im sure going out on a limb huh!
The media is not in the Vipers locker room and the media is not a strong in the GL you don't know if everything is milk and honey. I am not knocking you for having faith and believing everything will be fine but you are saying things that are not factually correct and ignoring things that have happened. Once again nobody is trashing anything it does not have to be black and white some like to look at the entire picture. Yes there is plenty of pressure on KPJ he has yet to establish himself as a legitimate NBA player and if it does not work out here his NBA days might be over. He is also compared to Harden the 2nd best player in the team he currently plays for History and you are still hoping e takes that mantle, how is that not pressure? I have no idea what the bolded part is supposed to mean what have I said that I would be wrong about? What edgey borderline hateful comments have I said?
I like Tate! But KP and Wood actually give me hope for the future and contending for another chip one day. Tate is a nice plug in guy on a solid roster.... but if he's here/not here it won't move the needle for me.
I like Tate because he's one of those core pieces every good team needs. I like Wood because he was a steal, but we paid to get him. KPJ hasn't proven to be able to stick in the NBA yet. If whatever his issues are solved, he's the biggest steal. But Tate? He's a gift to a potentially good team. He doesn't b**** about playing time, busts his butt, plays defense, is not 1-dimensional in that he isn't just "3 & D", but can pass, play D, and isn't inept on offense. Those kind of guys aren't easy to find. It's usually "he's a great defender but is a dud on offense" or "he's ok if you park him at the 3 point line", etc. Trying to acquire a guy like him at that price isn't easy. lol.
And the plan is to have Patton be the backup 5. Common sense would dictate that building chemistry with backup PG and backup 5 by maxing their minutes together is the prudent and obvious choice here. Porter and Patton should be learning each others games with Vipers and both should be called up together after AS break. But Rockets seem to lack even the faintest amount of common sense.
Kevin Love with music to my ears...confirming what many have said on this board. “If you look at our entire team and you take Kevin Porter Jr and you stack him up, he was by far the most talented guy we had on our roster. “He can rebound the basketball, can really pass, get his own shot, finish at the rim, body control and shoulders. He’s just so good. He has the ability to be a real star in this league,”
