In news first reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Houston Rockets on Tuesday agreed to trade Kevin Porter Jr. and two second-round draft picks to Oklahoma City for veteran guard Victor Oladipo and young big man Jeremiah Robinson-Earl.
Porter, who was recently arrested in New York for an alleged assault and strangulation against his girlfriend, will be immediately waived by the Thunder and appears unlikely to play in the NBA for the foreseeable future. For Oklahoma City, the trade’s incentive was solely the future second-round draft capital, which consists of a 2027 pick from Minnesota and a 2028 selection from Milwaukee.
For the Rockets, the primary incentive was maintaining something close to Porter’s salary figure ($15.9 million) to make matching math work in future trades. Oladipo will make $9.5 million this season.
Had the Rockets kept Porter on the roster beyond the 2023-24 preseason, he would have had $2 million more in guaranteed money owed for the 2024-25 season. Thus, the end of this preseason served as something of a deadline to general manager Rafael Stone, since other teams around the league would see Porter as even more of a negative asset if he had more guaranteed money attached to the acquisition.
Oladipo, who briefly played for the Rockets in early 2021, averaged 10.7 points (39.7% FG, 33.0% on 3-pointers), 3.5 assists and 3.0 rebounds in 26.3 minutes with Miami last season. Known best for his defense, Oladipo is 31 years old. He’s unavailable to play after tearing the patellar tendon in his left knee during the 2023 playoffs, though he is expected to return later this season.
Robinson-Earl was a second-round pick in the 2021 draft. A 6-foot-9 forward, he averaged 6.8 points (44.4% FG, 33.3% on 3-pointers) and 4.2 rebounds in 18.9 minutes last season.
Here’s a look at real-time reaction to the deal.
Kevin Porter Jr. trade reaction
#Rockets legend Victor Oladipo returns.
(He has a $9.5 million expiring salary. This is basically Houston trying to maintain its future trade filler while not guaranteeing more salary to KPJ by keeping him on the roster.) https://t.co/JZWjWtVdgs
— Ben DuBose (@BenDuBose) October 17, 2023
I don't quite understand why a team with 20+ second round picks in the years to come would want to spend $5 million on two more, but I don't think Tilman Fertitta is complaining
— Adam Spolane (@AdamSpolane) October 17, 2023
The Houston Rockets generate a $4.5 million trade exception.
I would imagine part of Houston's motivation to do this trade is to retain KPJ's salary slot. Between Victor Oladipo, Jeff Green, and Jock Landale, the Rockets have plenty of salary ballast ahead of the trade deadline. https://t.co/zCgzIfVXnB
— Yossi Gozlan (@YossiGozlan) October 17, 2023
Think the importance of removing the KPJ dark cloud from above this #Rockets team cannot be overstated.
Guys wont have to be answering questions about it all season every time a new detail surfaces
Just move on, clean slate, new age of Rockets ball
— Paulo Alves (@PauloAlvesNBA) October 17, 2023
Never saw Jeremiah Robinson-Earl’s time in OKC coming to an end in an exchange for a KPJ salary dump. JRE needs to be able to shoot to stick imo, but is someone I loved in 2021. Intelligent and underrated athlete that can impact the game, just needs a team to believe in him https://t.co/ZcuJXXEzbi
— Mavs/Magic Draft (@MavsDraft) October 17, 2023
The #Rockets made this trade to keep some tradable salary on the books. Oladipo’s $9.5M expiring salary allows Houston some deal-making flexibility to have live money on the books for a potential aggregated trade later in the season. Oladipo will not be waived by Houston.
— Roosh (@RooshWilliams) October 17, 2023
Jeremiah Robinson-Earl provides exactly what Ime Udoka and Amen Thompson need in the #Rockets second unit — a 6’9 switchable center that can stretch the floor
Watch JRE hold his own on Ja Morant and knock down a 3 to punish the defense for collapsing on Shai pic.twitter.com/GpBen1ZSYj
— Henry (@iktacoo) October 17, 2023
Here’s the math on the OKC/Houston trade:
– OKC will incur a $15.86M cap hit this season and $1M in 2024-25 for Kevin Porter Jr.
– After the Porter Jr. waiver, OKC will have 13 guaranteed contracts and 3 players on partials
– OKC will create a $1.9M trade exception
– Victor…
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) October 17, 2023
The Oklahoma City Thunder will eat the following in dead money for Kevin Porter Jr.:
2023-24: $15,860,000
2024-25: $1,000,000 (provided Porter is waived before opening night)This assumes Porter's contract isn't voided by the league, which remains a possibility.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) October 17, 2023
Really like Robinson earl pickup, i think rockets did well on this trade for the mess they had to clean up. Robinson-Earl has starter potential in long run.
— Madison Moore (@MadManLeaks) October 17, 2023
Tb to Victor Oladipo’s Rockets debut in 2021
32 PTS
13/23 FG
9 AST
5 REB
4 3PTpic.twitter.com/GYKuN26uIq— Coy 🚀 (@WickedCoy) October 17, 2023
Today is the second time that Victor Oladipo has been traded by the Thunder AND the second time he's been traded to the Rockets. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/VdvoB7immw
— Basketball Reference (@bball_ref) October 17, 2023
Obligatory post! pic.twitter.com/1iS5KgaljB
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) October 17, 2023
Damn. Was really hoping HOU could get away with using 2024 second rounders to dump KPJ's contract.
The #Rockets still own up to 3 second rounders in the 2024 NBA Draft, along with an unprotected BKN first rounder and their own first rounder (if it lands in the top-4). https://t.co/Zi1KaSzG13
— David Weiner (@BimaThug) October 17, 2023
This was a fairly cap space-neutral trade. It only increases the Rockets' 2024 cap room by $1M.
This was about having SALARY BALLAST (Oladipo) for a future trade. Otherwise, they would've just waived KPJ and kept their picks. https://t.co/IOqlk58X6p
— David Weiner (@BimaThug) October 17, 2023
JRE is a nice flyer – can be a backup big in the second unit if he further develops. Versatile, two-way skills, Villanova product.
Good mentee for Jeff Green, can get some run as Jock Landale continues to rehab.
— StanfordKP (@stanfordkp) October 17, 2023
FWIW, I'm not sure (actually doubt) HOU has anything particular lined up for a future trade. This is about having the ABILITY to make a bigger trade later this season.
There's a good chance they never do anything with Oladipo's salary. But not having it would be very limiting. https://t.co/G65ZQ4QpJR
— David Weiner (@BimaThug) October 17, 2023
Good question. I actually like JRE as young big on a team-friendly deal. Barring another trade, sadly, I could see Boban ($1.3M partial guarantee) as the odd man out. That, or they just waive JRE. https://t.co/gLNpELzGIS
— David Weiner (@BimaThug) October 17, 2023
#Rockets announce the Kevin Porter Jr. trade and the waiving of Matthew Mayer. They had to waive someone to fit in two players (Victor Oladipo, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl) while sending out only one.
— Ben DuBose (@BenDuBose) October 18, 2023
OFFICIAL: Rockets Complete Trade With Oklahoma City
Details: https://t.co/LAvhhbq7Ju pic.twitter.com/JKOImXdCoj
— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) October 18, 2023
