CLEVELAND, Ohio – Kevin Porter Jr. said goodbye on Friday night.
Porter’s heartfelt social media post came just hours after the Cleveland Cavaliers-Houston Rockets negotiation became official.
“Cleveland, thank you for giving me a chance to change not only my life, but my family’s as well, and for believing in me,” wrote Porter, accompanied by a photo of him inside the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse before one of the Cavaliers games last season. “To the beloved city, the fans, my brothers that I won, the coaching staff and the entire organization, I thank you and I will never take our relationships for granted.
“Everything we shared together was real and will always be love (forever). Thank you for being there and welcoming me as a family every step of the way. Making a Seattle youth feel at home in Ohio. Always grateful for the moments we created and good luck to all of you! For me, I will always be grateful for that and now I look forward to the next chapter on my journey. Love always.”
There was a collective tiredness in dealing with Porter, who was once seen as a potential pillar of the franchise and had lost all games this season for personal reasons.
The Cavs sent the troubled Porter to Houston in exchange for a future choice in the second round that, according to sources, is protected among the top 55. Because of the protection, it is unlikely that the Cavs will actually use it. The deal is tantamount to a salary eviction, with the Cavs withdrawing Porter’s guaranteed salary this season and the next, while also clearing a vacancy in the squad, giving them flexibility to add another piece at some point.
“After a careful and careful evaluation, we made a very difficult and collective decision to make this negotiation,” said general manager Koby Altman. “Considering the culture and environment we work to cultivate here in Cleveland, we feel that this change is in everyone’s interest. Kevin has a brilliant career ahead of him as a professional basketball player and, in essence, is a good person. We wish Kevin and his family the best in Houston. “
The two teams agreed to the deal on Thursday night, less than a week after Porter’s explosion in the Cleveland locker room, which became the tipping point.
In August 2020, he was accused of punching a woman in the face. In October, Porter posted a black square on his Instagram with the message “Would you like to see the end of your time?” This incident caused Cavs officers and comrades to come to him, making sure he was okay and offering help. He was involved in a car accident in November – he was arrested and charged with improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle, failure to control the vehicle and misdemeanor possession of marijuana. All of these charges were dismissed.
Porter was out of the team during the training camp, but the Cavs still tried to make it work by setting individual goals for him as part of an undisclosed reintegration plan. The Cavs took another step towards that last week, allowing Porter to practice for the first time and then join his teammates on the bench during Friday’s victory over New York.
That was his last unofficial night in Cleveland. Porter was furious after the team gave his locker to striker Taurean Prince. Altman came in and tried to talk about the problem. But Porter did not calm down. The food was thrown. Tensions increased. The verbal exchange between Porter and Altman was “uncomfortable for everyone there,” said a source who testified.
January 15 was the culmination of many mistakes, including disrespecting teammates and team members. The front line determined that an exchange was better than releasing it immediately.
Cavs coach JB Bickerstaff worked personally with Porter last year. Bickerstaff, who has said on several occasions how they are in the business of people, taking care of their players beyond basketball, addressed the situation earlier this week.
“We all want to see Kevin’s success and I still feel that way,” said Bickerstaff. “So, whatever happens in the future with him, I expect nothing but the best for him. And it is part of our responsibility as coaches to give our best to everyone and try to do the best in each situation. I can say that we did it. “
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