Kevin Porter Jr. is headed back to the NBA.
The Los Angeles Clippers have signed the guard to a two-year deal that includes a player option, The Athletic's Shams Charania reported Sunday.
Porter, 23, pleaded guilty in January to misdemeanour assault and a harassment violation in connection with an incident last September at a Manhattan hotel. Prosecutors have said Porter attacked his girlfriend, leaving her covered in blood with a deep cut above her right eye. She has since denied that, accusing prosecutors of pushing a “false narrative.”
He reached a plea deal that will keep him out of jail if he completes a court-ordered treatment program and stays out of trouble.
Under the agreement, Porter must complete a 26-week Abusive Partner Intervention Program or an equivalent program with a private counsellor. He must also abide by a limited order of protection, attend all court dates and have no further arrests.
If Porter complies, he'll be able to withdraw his assault plea in January and will be sentenced at that time to time served for the non-criminal harassment count, prosecutors said, effectively clearing his criminal record.
Porter has not played in the NBA since his arrest in September. The Houston Rockets traded him in October to the Oklahoma City Thunder, who immediately cut him.
In 2022-23, Porter averaged 19.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game, earning a four-year extension with Houston.
After leaving the NBA, Porter spent six weeks playing in the Greece pro league in April and May where he averaged 20.8 points, 8.3 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game.
— With files from the Associated Press
