The Houston Rockets announced a multiyear contract extension with Kevin Porter Jr. on Monday that could be worth as much as $82 million.
The team did not reveal details, but a person with knowledge of the move told The Associated Press it was a four-year extension with only the first season, in 2023-24, guaranteed at about $16 million.
The deal was reached Monday, the deadline for players out of the rookie draft class of 2019 to agree to extensions. The 22-year-old Porter will make $3.2 million this season in the last year of his current deal which remains in place, according to the person who spoke with AP on condition of anonymity because details were not released.
Porter is one of the young players the rebuilding Rockets hope will help them return to contention. He has played in 87 games with 84 starts over two seasons, averating 15.6 points, 6.2 assists and 4.4 rebounds last season.
“We value the player and the person that Scoot is becoming and are eager to invest in him and his journey,” general manager Rafael Stone said. “He’s expressed how happy he is to be with this organization and has shown his commitment to putting in the work both on and off the court. We are excited for the opportunity to continue to build something special with him.”
Porter was the 30th overall pick in the 2019 draft and spent his first NBA season with the Cavaliers before being traded to the Rockets in January 2021.
Porter is one of eight players over the past two seasons to have averaged at least 15 points, six assists, four rebounds, one steal and two 3-pointers a game. The other players to have done that are former Rockets star James Harden, LaMelo Ball, Steph Curry, Luka Doncic, LeBron James, Kyle Lowry and Fred VanVleet.
Porter was 21 when he scored 50 points with 11 assists against Milwaukee on April 29, 2021 to become the fifth-youngest player to have a 50-point game in NBA history. He passed James as the youngest player to have a 50-point game with at least 10 assists.
Porter recorded a triple-double of 30 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists on March 30, 2022 against Sacramento to become the youngest player in franchise history with a triple-double.
By KRISTIE RIEKEN, AP Sports Writer | 17/10/22
AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds contributed to this report.
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