A BRIGHT FUTURE
Let's examine the impact Kevin Porter Jr. can have with the Rockets
Jan 22, 2021, 4:53 pm
A BRIGHT FUTURE
The Houston Rockets received 20-year-old Kevin Porter Jr. in a trade acquisition from the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday night. Unfortunately, Kevin has been in recent trouble while playing for the Cavilers. So, it makes sense why the Rockets received Porter for a second-round draft pick. Hopefully, Porter can squash his troubles, so he can blossom for the Rockets.
In November, Porter was arrested on gun charges but eventually got released in three hours. As the season was ramping up in December, Porter's gun charges were dismissed. Even though the charges were dropped, Porter still managed to have issues with the Cavs. The Athletic's Jason Lloyd and Joe Vardon reported Porter had an outburst inside the Cavaliers' locker room. It was seen that newly acquired Taurean Prince had Porter's locker, which caused him to be upset. Porter then started to throw food across the locker room and get into a heated exchange with GM Koby Altman. After the locker room debacle, Altman decided to put the talented Porter on the trade block. Thursday night, Rockets GM Rafael Stone struck a deal to acquire Porter.
Porter is 6'4 with tremendous upside and could become one of the building blocks for the Rockets' future. Since the Harden-era has ended, the Rockets need a spark for this season because they are 4-9. I'm curious to see how head coach Stephan Silas adjusts his roster, including the starting rotation with Porter now onboard. Silas has changed his starting rotation 13 times so will it be 14 now? Who knows? Hopefully, Porter adds a spark with newly acquired Victor Oladipo.
Porter averaged 10 points per game and shot 44 percent from the field with the Cavs. He isn't a three-point shooter but is an excellent mid-range shooter. Porter shot 50 percent from mid-range, including being able to shoot 40 percent in "catch-in-shoot" situations. He is also a shifty dribbler and can shoot above 40 percent off the dribble. Porter is a young talent that can create a lot of opportunities for himself on offense, including being extremely athletic. The Rockets need more scorers and creators on offense since John Wall is still nursing a knee injury and James Harden is in Brooklyn.
Kevin Porter Jr. 24 points, 6/9 three-point shooting against the Rockets last season. https://t.co/nHIBO7sGy6— Jackson Gatlin (@Jackson Gatlin) 1611293025.0
Hopefully, assistant coach John Lucas and John Wall can counsel Porter as he starts his new career in Houston.
Oswald Peraza hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to help the Los Angeles Angels snap a three-game losing skid by beating the Houston Astros 4-1 on Saturday night.
Peraza entered the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning and hit a bases-loaded fly ball to deep right field that eluded the outstretched glove of Cam Smith. It was the fourth straight hit off Astros closer Bryan Abreu (3-4), who had not allowed a run in his previous 12 appearances.
The Angels third run of the ninth inning scored when Mike Trout walked with the bases loaded.
Kyle Hendricks allowed one run while scattering seven hits over six innings. He held the Astros to 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position, the one hit coming on Jesús Sánchez’s third-inning infield single that scored Jeremy Peña.
Reid Detmers worked around a leadoff walk to keep the Astros scoreless in the seventh, and José Fermin (3-2) retired the side in order in the eighth before Kenley Jansen worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 24th save.
Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti struck out a season-high eight batters over 6 1/3 innings. The only hit he allowed was Zach Neto’s third-inning solo home run.
Yordan Alvarez had two hits for the Astros, who remained three games ahead of Seattle for first place in the AL West.
Peraza’s two-run single to deep right field that broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth.
Opponents were 5 for 44 against Abreu in August before he allowed four straight hits in the ninth.
Astros RHP Hunter Brown (10-6, 2.37 ERA) faces RHP José Soriano (9-9, 3.85) when the series continues Sunday.