James scores 26 as short-handed Cavaliers beat Pelicans (Sports Betting News)

The Houston Rockets are attempting to trade Kevin Porter Jr. following his charges of felony assault and strangulation on his girlfriend.

Porter has the 2023-24 season guaranteed for $15.9 million in Year 1 of a four-year, $82.5 million deal. The subsequent years of the deal are not guaranteed.

The Rockets are offering draft compensation as an incentive to receive Porter in exchange for a player who can immediately help the team.

Porter is not expected to attend Rockets’ training camp in early October.

Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens gave an encouraging update on the health of two key players, a week out from training camp. Stevens said both Kristaps Porzingis and Malcolm Brogdon are ready to go when camp kicks off next week.

Porzingis has been dealing with plantar fasciitis, which kept him out of the FIBA World Cup for Latvia. The team’s key offseason addition has been featured in social media posts from the Celtics in recent days, as he works out at the team facility.

“Kristaps has been running up and down the court the last few days,” Stevens said. “I thought the progression that his trainers there (in Latvia), our trainers here, and everybody came up with to get him back so that he could avoid anything lingering was a key. He feels great. I just literally talked to him on the phone on my way here. He said he feels good.”

Brogdon was nearly traded in the deal that brought Porzingis to Boston. He’s also spent the summer rehabbing from an elbow injury suffered in last season’s playoffs.

Stevens acknowledged that Brogdon may be upset about how the summer has been. The Celtics front office leaders said both sides are working toward the season now.

“Of course, and I would say he had every right to feel (upset),” Stevens said. “We said that this summer. But he’s a real pro and so we’ve had several discussions. He’s looking forward to getting started. We’re looking forward to getting started and here we go.”