A shortage of playing time last season led KJ Martin to explore free agency, but he decided his best opportunity is still with the Sixers, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Martin appeared in 58 games after being acquired from the Clippers in November, but he only logged 12.3 minutes per night. He recently accepted a two-year deal worth up to $16MM because Philadelphia’s revamped roster is short on power forwards.
“The roster was open,” Martin said. “So it was obviously a possibility. My agent spoke to the front office, and they obviously spoke highly of me. So that was a big part of it, and looking where the dominoes fell, it just felt like the right situation [after Paul George] came and they really don’t have a lot of fours.”
Martin is hoping to win a starting job in training camp, but he’s ready to help the team even if he’s coming off the bench again. With Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and George handling most of the offense, Martin believes he’s the type of complementary player who fits well alongside them.
“You see those guys and what we will need in a four man,” he said. “Obviously, we don’t need a guy out there like Tyrese, Joel, and PG. They’re going to have the ball most of the time. So now you need guys that can kind of play off the ball, do little things. Obviously, I can play the four, I can play the dunker, I can be a screener in certain situations, so it just feels right. It just feels like the right situation.”
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- A year ago, Justin Edwards was expected to be a high lottery pick, so it’s surprising to see him on a two-way contract with the Sixers after going undrafted, Pompey adds in a separate story. A disappointing season at Kentucky may have changed the way that scouts view Edwards, but it hasn’t shaken his confidence. “I feel like I was the best player in the draft,” he said. “But I’ve always been coming from behind my entire life, so it ain’t nothing, really. It’s just another wall I got to run through. I’m going to get through another obstacle so I’ll be cared for.”
- Former Raptors center Christian Koloko received clearance from his doctors to resume playing and has been participating in free agent showcases with other NBA players, according to Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca. Koloko sat out all of last season with a blood clot issue, and he’ll have to be approved by the league’s Fitness to Play Panel before he can sign a contract. Murphy states that Toronto waived Koloko because it needed a roster space and he was unable to play, but the organization still believes in his talent.
- Celtics draft-and-stash player Yam Madar has signed with FC Bayern, the German team announced in a press release. The 23-year-old guard, who was selected with the 47th pick in 2020, has also played for Partizan Belgrade and Fenerbahce in Istanbul.
Why didn’t 76ers sign Gary Trent ?
They give money to KJ Martin
MB81
July 17, 2024
Your argument crumbles on itself. He’s so great, a scorer, yet not a single team wanted to give him any type of commitment? He had a NEGATIVE VORP. Meaning, he’s worse than a replacement level (G League) player when considering what he brings to a team.
Even Sillyman understands the reasons.
Yet MB81 is stuck …….
In what Basketball league is Martin worth more than Trent Jr. And I like Martin. Trent is still young. And has a track record. There is no argument. There are facts you can look up. But why would we want to know the truth, right.
Did you not understand the Obrue reference…….. yes I tend to do that. Use basketball gospel to prove a point. Only you have to know it to use it.
Wow. This is bucket list stuff. Living, rent free, inside the mind of a chat bot! Mama I made it
Yeah ……. keep telling yourself that.
I’m going to teach you this game. If it kills you. So keep coming.
Martin’s contract has nothing to do with his worth. The Sixers have bird rights on him. They don’t have bird rights on Trent.
Right – He was signed as a human trade exception, who can be solid & not make a lot of mistakes when he’s called upon. Actually sixers best bet right now would be start Martin at the 3 or 4 , have him get his stats & worth up – then you can flip him & a couple 1sts at the deadline for someone who can actually start at the 4 , or possibly trade him for a playmaker you can start next to Maxey or use as a 6th man in Tj McConnell.
I am still hoping that my dream signing might take place , Sixers promise a starting spot to tyus Jones and start him next to Maxey.
Another insightful blind vision ……
Happy for Koloko. Having your career end not because of an on-court injury but because of a medical condition you can’t control would suck so bad.
YAM Madar is one SWEET POTATO.
I hope Rokas Jokubaitis gets traded to Spurs or another team that will utilize him this season. He can play!
Watching Summer League awhile back, I thought Yam Madar was going to be our Celtics’ Tyler Herro. Guess not.
I completely forgot about Yam Madar; I remember coming out of his draft, he was compared to an Israeli Patrick Beverly or Marcus Smart. Still young, so I could see him coming to the NBA in the next year or 2. Begarin also was someone I would have thought would come over by next year
2 years ago he was the euro rising star see the list of former winners last year no pro basketball player had a toougher more dangerous season than he a israeli playing pro ball in turkey death threats capped of with a glass bottle being thrown from the stands hitting him in the eye causing a loss of vision for a time i hope germany will be kinder and allow him to get back on track