Because the NBA isn’t in season, the league office can take more time investigating the alleged Kevin Porter Jr. assault.
Adam Silver, commissioner of the league, addressed the subject in a televised interview on ESPN. As part of the new collective bargaining agreement, the NBA has jurisdiction over individual teams in the matter of domestic violence allegations, meaning the Rockets can’t discipline Porter for the incident until the NBA rules first.
With 2023-24 training camps not opening until early October, there’s nothing to prompt an immediate decision regarding Porter’s availability.
Silver explained at Wednesday’s NBA Board of Governors press conference (partial transcript by Salman Ali, Red Nation Hoops):
The allegations here are horrific, no question about it. … But I don’t know anything more about the actual facts, other than reading those allegations.
We’re not in season. … We have a bit of time to decide whether it would be appropriate for him to go to training camp or not.
The timetable for a ruling is not clear. Porter is due to appear in a New York court on Oct. 16 in connection with the case.
[lawrence-related id=116528,116489]
“The allegations here are horrific, no question about it, but I don't know anything more about the actual facts other than reading those allegations.”
Adam Silver on allegations that Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr. attacked girlfriend Kysre Gondrezick.pic.twitter.com/UeU5GDat7w
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) September 13, 2023
Silver indicated the NBA could move more slowly in the Porter case because "we're not in season." https://t.co/VnTT2XP7gY
— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) September 13, 2023