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Report: Cavaliers trading Kevin Porter Jr. to Rockets for second-round pick

The Cleveland Cavaliers found a trading partner for Kevin Porter Jr. after his reported locker room outburst last week.

The Cavaliers agreed to send Porter to the Houston Rockets on Thursday night in exchange for a future second-round draft pick, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.

Porter’s alleged locker room outburst

Porter, 20, averaged 10 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 50 games last season, his first in the league. The Seattle native, however, hasn’t played yet this season due to personal reasons.

He was involved in a one-car accident in November, and was charged with “improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle, transport loaded firearm in a motor vehicle accessible to operator or any passenger without leaving the vehicle.” Those charges were later dismissed, though two women filed a police report just days later claiming that they were attacked by Porter in an unrelated incident.

Porter allegedly became angry in their locker room last week after learning that the team had given his old locker to Taurean Prince, who the Cavaliers acquired in the blockbuster deal that sent James Harden to Brooklyn. He allegedly started yelling and throwing food, and remained combative when general manager Koby Altman came in and confronted him.

J.B. Bickerstaff reportedly came in from his office after hearing the commotion, too, and was “shocked and disgusted by what he heard.”

The team was then determined to either find a trade for him or was planning to release him.

Though Porter’s tumultuous past few months and off-court issues have hung over him, the move to Houston could be a nice change of pace. Considering the Rockets — who are reportedly planning to waive Chris Clemons to open a roster spot for him — are in the middle of a rebuild after losing both Harden and Russell Westbrook, he should have plenty of opportunities.

Whether he takes advantage of them, however, remains to be seen.

Cleveland Cavaliers' Kevin Porter Jr.
Kevin Porter Jr. reportedly had an outburst in the Cavs' locker room last week, which prompted the team to find a way to deal him. (AP/Tony Dejak)

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