Former Houston Rockets’ Guard Could Be Out of the League Soon

The 2026-2027 NBA season is less than 24 hours from starting, and we’re still getting significant roster adjustments. While this bit of news doesn’t come from the Houston Rockets, it does impact an interesting player in their recent history.

Kevin Porter Jr. was just waived by the Milwaukee Bucks as they trimmed down their roster for the regular season. While I was initially shocked as the notification about this move popped up on my phone, it does make a lot of sense after giving it some thought. 

KPJ has played in 309 NBA games through his six seasons, and nearly half of those were with the rebuilding Rockets. Point being, he hasn’t really found a steady home. Even when Houston gave him every chance in the world. 

He was initially acquired for pennies on the dollar in January 2021, which seems great at face value. In reality it was largely due to his well-known behavioral issues with the Cleveland Cavaliers. 

He reportedly threw a temper tantrum that involved throwing food and yelling at his GM in the locker room. If that’s not a red flag, I don’t know what is. However, Rafael Stone and the Rockets still took a chance on him. 

They did much more than just take a chance, though. They virtually gave him the keys to the franchise right away. Then it was him and Jalen Green as the future in the backcourt. 

Porter Jr. started in 23 out of his 26 games with Houston that season, and it stayed that way for his remaining 120 games. The front office even decided to send John Wall home, just to stick with the young guns. I’ve never loved that decision, as mentioned on Roundtable.  

That all came crashing down in September of 2023 when KPJ was arrested and charged with felony assault and strangulation. The Rockets immediately sought out options to part ways, and eventually found a trade partner. 

This is how Victor Oladipo came to Houston for a short stint, and how the OKC Thunder added to their stockpile of draft picks. They released Porter Jr. immediately after the trade, and he spent the year playing in Greece. 

He did have a quick comeback, signing with the LA Clippers in 2024. 45 games later, got traded to Milwaukee. It doesn’t feel like a coincidence that both of those teams were falling apart and grasping at straws. Just look at them now. 

Even the Bucks no longer wanted KPJ, and that might be the majority sentiment around the league. If the Sacramento Kings don’t give him a call soon, he might need to head back overseas.

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