On paper, the signing of Kevin Porter Jr. by the Los Angeles Clippers makes a lot of sense.
He is a versatile scorer and averaged more than 15 points per game during his four years in the NBA.
But Porter brings serious baggage with him and many fans are unhappy with him being on the team.
Speaking to the media, via Tomer Azarly and ClutchPoints, Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue spoke about how Porter can contribute:
“He definitely can make an impact. You don’t get paid $20 million a year in Houston if you can’t play. He’s a great talent. It’s gonna be my job to make sure we get the best out of him. He can score the basketball, he can make plays, and I’m gonna stay on him and coach him hard. He’s a great talent. For us to have success, he’s gonna be a big part of that, so I’m excited for him and the opportunity to coach him.”
“He definitely can make an impact. You don’t get paid $20 million a year in Houston if you can’t play. He’s a great talent. It’s gonna be my job to make sure we get the best out of him. He can score the basketball, he can make plays, and I’m gonna stay on him and coach him hard.… pic.twitter.com/tlU1OYUkFh
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) September 25, 2024
Lue is obviously highlighting the basketball skills Porter has but there is so much more to this story.
It’s now been a little more than a year since New York City police arrested Porter for allegedly assaulting his then-girlfriend, Kysre Gondrezick.
The NBA started to investigate the matter but soon dropped it once he was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder and then waived.
Since then, Porter played a bit overseas but is now coming back to the league.
During previous seasons, Porter averaged 15.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 5 assists per game for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Houston Rockets.
He’s a young and talented star and if he can keep his life on track, he could greatly assist the Clippers.
They need his help because they are short a reliable guard after the departure of Russell Westbrook.
But will the controversy surrounding Porter follow him to Los Angeles and how will the Clippers handle it?
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