Passing is the Key For Kevin Porter Jr.

The Houston Rockets acquired Kevin Porter Jr. in a trade where they gave up a protected second-round pick. Porter, a player with massive potential at such a young age, was available for next to nothing because he had a falling out with his former team, the Cleveland Cavaliers

Even though Porter was not drafted by the Rockets, he seems to have already made himself one of the critical pieces in the rebuild. His game from night to night can fluctuate, which can be expected of a young player. However, he could quickly become a quality starting guard if he puts it all together and becomes more consistent.

The biggest key for him will be how does his passing evolve. He has always seen himself as more than a shooting guard. His passing already makes him a combo-guard, but can it get to the level of a point guard?

The Houston Rockets are in the middle of a rebuild and have given their younger players the platform to succeed. After having four first-round draft picks in last year’s draft, the Rockets got notably younger, headlined by Jalen Green, Alperen Şengün, and Josh Christopher. However, the team did not draft a point guard, which has thrust Porter with that responsibility.

In his first season with the Rockets, Porter played well, averaging 16.6 points and 6.3 assists per game. However, he couldn’t find his shooting stroke from three, shooting 31% on 6.2 attempts and averaging 3.5 turnovers.

This season, his scoring numbers have dropped to 13.6. A big reason for this is him focusing more on passing and the introduction of Green into the roster. He is shooting better from three at 37% on six attempts per game but is now shooting 41% from within the three-point line. Porter has kept roughly the same assists to turnover ratio, averaging 6.2 assists and 3.5 turnovers.