Houston Rockets star Kevin Porter Jr. was arrested recently and charged with assault and strangulation. Allegedly, according to reports, Porter Jr. violently attacked his 26-year-old girlfriend Kysre Gondrezick who is a WNBA veteran. The incident reportedly took place on Monday in New York, with a judge issuing a temporary order of protection.
The following day, after posting a $75,000 cash bail, Porter Jr. pleaded not guilty to the assault. In the meantime, many expected the Houston Rockets to suspend the starter given the allegations; however, that wasn't the case. As such, many fans have wondered why the accused hasn't been suspended by the team or the league.
It turns out that Kevin can't be suspended despite the incident. According to the NBA's guidelines, the Rockets can't take any disciplinary action against Kevin Porter Jr. until the NBA completes its investigation. Despite this, Commissioner Adam Silver has placed Kevin Porter Jr. on administrative leave.
As can be seen, there's truly no timeline for how long the league could investigate the matter. In the case of Ja Morant's suspensions last year, the league conducted investigations for weeks. In the case of the investigation into Miles Bridges, for example, the investigation took months.
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Latest update on Kevin Porter Jr.'s legal case
Although the information that initially surfaced regarding the alleged assault on his girlfriend wasn't good, things have taken a turn for the worse. According to prosecutors, who spoke at Porter's arraignment on Tuesday, the victim suffered a facial cut as well as a fractured vertebra in her neck.
With the victim sustaining a fractured vertebrae, a serious case could be made against Porter Jr. In addition to striking her in the face with a closed fist, the NBA player also allegedly strangled her, causing damage to her neck.
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Included in the damage, among bruising and redness, was a fractured vertebrae. While this may be the most serious charge he's faced, Kevin was also arrested in 2020 after a single-vehicle accident. When officers arrived on the scene, they found Porter Jr. with a loaded firearm and cannabis.
While the NBA works on its investigation and Porter Jr. goes through the legal process in the case, he will remain on the sidelines. As he's due in court again next month on the day of their preseason showdown with the San Antonio Spurs, it's expected that Amen Thompson will likely start.
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