Dillon Brooks‘ strong World Cup performance for Canada – which earned its first-ever medal at the event – came as no surprise to Rockets general manager Rafael Stone, writes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required). Brooks’ combination of scoring (15.1 PPG), shooting (.588 3PT%), and defense were what Stone was counting on when Houston signed him to a four-year, $86MM contract in July.
“I’m really happy for Dillon,” Stone said. “Largely, he’s the player that we thought we were signing. So, it’s not at all surprising. But it’s great. And more so than any player I can really remember in recent memory, there’s a narrative about him that’s odd and wrong. And I think kind of the whole world over the last week has kind of owned that he’s a really good basketball player.
“The thing he does at a truly elite level, in a funny way is the one thing that every fan and every coach says is the most important thing. Every single day, every single possession, he competes and he’s always ready. And so, it’s kind of funny that that guy, who embodies that ethos, has taken as (much criticism) in the past few months as he has. But I also think … people are going to realize he’s a really good player. And most importantly, he just competes his butt off. Obviously, we really like him. He played like we would expect him to, and we’re really excited to get him back and get him integrated.”
Here’s more on the Rockets:
- Although Turkey wasn’t part of the 2023 World Cup, Turkish center Alperen Sengun suited up for his national team during an Olympic pre-qualifying tournament this summer. The Rockets liked what he saw from the young center at that event, as Feigen relays. “Alpi is on the path we want him to be on. I thought he was moving really, really well,” Stone said. “I thought his decision-making was good. I liked his defensive effort, overall.”
- Stone said he expects the entire Rockets roster to be healthy for the start of training camp next month, per Feigen (Twitter link). Jock Landale missed the World Cup due to an ankle injury and hasn’t been cleared for 5-on-5 work, but should be soon, per Stone.
- Prosecutors at Kevin Porter Jr.‘s arraignment in New York City on Tuesday stated that his alleged attack on his girlfriend left her with a fractured neck vertebra and a deep cut above her right eye, according to Michael R. Sisak of The Associated Press. Manhattan’s assistant district attorney Mirah Curzer referred to the incident as a “serious domestic violence case” and indicated that Porter has a history of abusing his girlfriend, former WNBA player Kysre Gondrezick. The Rockets guard, who wasn’t required to enter a plea during Tuesday’s court appearance, was ordered to post $75K in cash or obtain a $100K bond to secure his release.
Been saying since they got him. Rockets should move him and move on. This man has serious issues. He does not understand life. Has to get cut Now ……
He literally beat the shush out of her. The NBA has the right to cut him. They should if Rockets don’t
link to nypost.com
He should get the book thrown at him and do prison time
Her family is looking for him. This will not end well ……
What the flip does that mean? This isn’t Goodfellas. Stop acting hard. No one is going to lay a hand on him unless it’s an officer of the law putting him in cuffs. Al with this fake tough guy stuff.
Tough guys in the pokey will lay hands on him. Just a matter of time
Stop linking NY Post. That stuff is TMZ. “So and so’s sister” runs their mouth on social media. Yeah, Porter should be terrified.
Rockets are suppose to have a productive yr. A yr for the young guys coming out and playing. With vets they got, new coach. Porter is history. His basketball career is over.
I hate to be negative about this (and I agree that it should be that way), but everybody was saying the same stuff about Miles Bridges. Sure, Porter has more of a history, but I really would not be surprised if he played again, as disgusted as that makes me feel. Unless the prosecution attempts to try him for attempted murder (which is unlikely, and also unlikely to work), his charges are likely to be lesser than Bridges’ (he was initially charged with aggravated child abuse as well).
The US just doesn’t do a great job of handling domestic abuse cases, and major sports leagues are, if anything, worse. And I say that as someone who works for the justice system. Sometimes it really feels like unless someone dies, athletes get every chance in the world.
They still get chances even when people die tho sadly, ruggs should have done 10+ years prison immediately and never gotten any chance at house arrest even. His nfl career is probably done, but if he gets jacked for 10 years in prison and comes out in better shape than ever someone might be dumb enough to take a flier on him.
Why not if he did the time?
Kevin Porter is done in the NBA! He will NOT play in the NBA again. The NBA botched allowing Miles Bridges back. Kevin Porter just opened that wound right back up before training camp. Too many questions on this one. She was the #4 overall pick in WNBA, and then got cut after a year. Her sister is the widow of Ohio State and NFL QB Dwayne Haskins who died when hit by a car after running out of gas. Her father also died within the past two years.
Kevin Porter doesn’t survive this one. The NBA will have to take a MAJOR stand on violence against women.
Josh Primo is out of the league for pulling a “Mel Tucker”. These guys should be out too!
Primo will be back. Porter’s situation is tougher because the woman he abused has been associated with NBA, unlike Bridges case. But he’s young and if he serves his time he will most likely be allowed back.
Porter is going to prison. He has a prior domestic violence history. He is done.
You will see NBA come down hard on domestic violence now. The players in the WNBA will look after one of their own. They will force Silver into a hard stance.
The legal system will take care of Kevin Porter. He should be facing attempted murder for breaking a bone in her neck.
If Mel Tucker gets punished for having phone sex, and then the woman claiming it wasn’t consensual afterwards…
Good lord, that would open so many doors to men getting accused of things in the future…
After looking into it, the woman has already made claims previously that she’s a surviving gang rape victim from football players, and that her case was mishandled and never prosecuted.
Apparently, MSU has even paid her 10,000 to be a guest speaker on their campus multiple times and there’s a picture with her and Mel Tucker looking like they clearly know one another..
Tucker isn’t denying anything, only that it was consensual, even though he is married. Basically that he touched himself while they were talking on the phone, and said it was mutual. She says it wasn’t, it was harassment…
Idk, honestly, this seems like she’s trying to further her agenda, and she set Tucker into a trap…
He set from the very beginning they got eachothers numbers, and had talked back and forth, with her actually being the first one to be “flirty.”
Fair warnings going out to anyone that has something to lose, no more random dick pics lol
But, I mean unless he just randomly called her put of the blue and told her he was touching himself thinking of her, I don’t possibly see how this could be possible?
I’ll start by saying Porter should not see an NBA court again should these allegations be founded. My comments below are simply around the basketball fit.
I didn’t see Porter really having long-term viability with the Rockets regardless of his off-court transgressions. This incident should hopefully just hasten his departure. From a guard standpoint, Van Vleet and Green should be the starters. Players like Brooks, Whitmore, and Amen Thompson can slide in for backcourt minutes – with each of them also having ability to operate at SF as well. At forward you have Jabari Smith, Tari, and Tate. Jock and Alpern at Center.
That alone is 10 players that warrant minutes – and doesn’t include Porter. His absence may actually allow players like Whitmore to see the floor more…and he already likely had a better long term future with the team anyway.