Kevin Porter Jr. averaged 10 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 50 games last season.
CLEVELAND (AP) – The Cavaliers went to the extreme to help striker Kevin Porter Jr. He pushed them too far.
Cleveland decided to stop being the talented and troubled player, a person familiar with his position on the team told the Associated Press on Monday.
The Cavs are looking to Porter to see if they can find a business partner before considering launching the draft for the first round of 2019, the person said on condition of anonymity because of the delicacy of the situation.
Porter did not play this season and only returned to the team last week after taking care of personal issues, which included a legal issue in November. The 20-year-old was in normal clothes and on the bench on Friday night when the Cavs beat the New York Knicks.
But after the game, Porter was furious when he learned that Cavs had changed his locker to striker Taurean Prince, who came to switch four teams with the Brooklyn Nets earlier in the week.
According to reports, Porter had a heated confrontation with general manager Koby Altman.
After Monday’s training session, during which Cavs welcomed Jarrett Allen and Prince for the first time, coach JB Bickerstaff said he was disappointed that things did not go well with Porter.
“We all want to see Kevin succeed and I still feel that way, so whatever happens in the future with him, I hope nothing but the best for him,” said Bickerstaff. “It is part of our responsibility as coaches to give everyone our best and try to do the best in each situation and I can say that we did that.”
The Cavs have always been intrigued by Porter’s skill, but his problems off the ground have slowed his development and made him a distraction.
In November, he was involved in a car accident and the police found a loaded gun and marijuana in his car. Porter said he didn’t know the gun was there. The charges were dismissed.
The team worked with Porter in an attempt to organize his life. He seemed to make progress and returned to the Cavs last week to practice, only to have the explosion on Friday that the team considered a breaking point.
Cleveland summoned Porter with the 30th overall choice in 2019, knowing he had problems while in Southern California. As a rookie, he averaged 10 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 50 games.
The Cavs once saw him as part of a young group with Collin Sexton, Darius Garland and others. Now, they are just hoping that Porter can start again somewhere else.
“We will continue to build together,” said Bickerstaff. “We just want the best for him to move on. No matter what it looks like, we want the best for Kevin. “