Kevin Martin Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Odds & Ends: Martin, Roy, Allen, Brooks

December 29th, 2012 at 8:56pm CST by Ryan Raroque

If Kevin Martin has his way, anyone other than the Thunder will have a tough time signing him this summer, tweets Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. The ninth-year veteran is averaging career bests in three point shooting (45.7%) and free throw shooting (93.2%) in addition to producing 15.8 PPG in 30.0 MPG. He is currently in the final year of his contract, and is slated to make nearly $12.4MM this season. Here are some more of tonight's miscellaneous notes from around the Association:

Despite recent reports that Phil Jackson wouldn't be interested in coaching the Nets, Chris Sheridan of Sheridan Hoops talks about why we probably haven't seen the last of the Zen Master just yet.
Cavaliers coach Byron Scott is confident about the front office's patience with him, writes Jodie Valade of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
HoopsWorld's Steve Kyler tweeted that an Andrea Bargnani trade is inevitable since he is no longer in Toronto's long-term plans, and that the Raptors will only play him when he comes back in order to prove that he's healthy.
Kyler (via Twitter) also says that the Lakers aren't currently looking to trade any of their bench players and are more focused on continuing to establish rhythm, Bargnani's elbow injury effectively hurts any if not all of his trade value right now, and that the current feeling around Brooklyn is that P.J. Carlesimo will get a chance to finish the season if none of the candidates they want are available.
Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune shared some of David Kahn's comments on Brandon Roy's decision to undergo non-invasive treatment, noting that it would not be the same Regenokine therapy that Roy underwent last spring and that the upcoming process could take three to four weeks (Twitter links).
Shams Charania of RealGM says that Ray Allen was not contacted by the Bucks during the free agency period this past summer and admitted that he probably would not have considered a return to Milwaukee regardless.
Nets guard MarShon Brooks is hoping to capitalize on what appears to be a fresh start with coach P.J. Carlesimo after not being able to mesh with Avery Johnson, writes Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News.
Without much practice time, Carlesimo will have to rely on much of the same offensive schemes that the Nets players have been familiar with up to this point along with additional help from the assistant coaches as he continues to make a transition into his interim head coaching role (Roderick Boone of Newsday reports).
While the departure of Joe Johnson might have signaled a rebuilding year to some, the Hawks' climb to 3rd place in the East after 27 games has definitely contradicted that notion, writes Jarrod Rudolph of RealGM.

Kevin Martin Wants To Stay With Thunder

December 21st, 2012 at 11:05am CST by Zachary Links

As one of the main pieces in the James Harden swap, Kevin Martin was asked to fill some big shoes in Oklahoma City. So far this season he’s done quite well in the former Sixth Man of the Year’s slot and it’s a role that Martin can see himself playing for years to come. The guard told Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld that he wants to remain in OKC long-term.

“I get that question a lot since it’s a contract year. There are going to be teams interested over the summer, but I’m so happy right now and being with these guys has given me an extra pep in my step. It’s just fun being here. It’s a great organization and great guys. I’m happy right now,” Martin said.

Martin, 29, is averaging 15.7 PPG in 29.6 minutes while shooting 46.9% from the floor and 45.8% from beyond the arc. The guard would likely prefer to wait until the summer to discuss a new deal, as a contract extension could only cover three years while a brand new deal could go up to five years. Martin is earning $12.4MM this season.

If Monta Ellis doesn’t pull the trigger on his early termination option to leave the Bucks, Martin will be at the top prize in a soft market for shooting guards. O.J. Mayo, J.R. Smith, and Manu Ginobili are other intriguing names who could be available, as our Hoops Rumors list of 2013/14 free agents shows.

Northwest Notes: Martin, Karl, Freeland

December 15th, 2012 at 5:58pm CST by Michael Pina

Thunder guard Kevin Martin is enjoying a "perfect opportunity" in Oklahoma City, after getting traded from Houston in the offseason, writes The Sacramento Bees' Jason Jones.

On the recent news that the Grizzlies have hired ESPN.com's John Hollinger to join their front office, Nuggets head coach George Karl believes within a few years every team will have a statistician on board, writes the Denver Post's Adrian Dater.
Responding to words from Joel Freeland's agent, in response to his supposed disappointment about being assigned to the Trail Blazers D-League affiliate Idaho Stampede, CSNNW.com's Chris Haynes spoke with Portland general manager Neil Olshey, who believes Freeland and Victor Claver were actually excited to get a playing opportunity.

Berger On Lakers, White, Thunder, Fisher

December 5th, 2012 at 5:25pm CST by Sean Highkin

Ken Berger of CBSSports.com has a new column dealing with several high-profile topics from around the NBA. Here are the highlights:

Berger writes that if the Lakers choose to trade Pau Gasol, they should look for wing defenders and bench depth.
The Rockets and Royce White appear to be making progress in working through the issues that have prevented the rookie from seeing playing time. Berger reports that White has begun seeing the therapist the team assigned to him to assist with his anxiety disorder.
Kevin Martin is having a fantastic season for the Thunder, who Berger believes have been vindicated for their decision to trade James Harden.
Thunder guard Russell Westbrook praised the Mavericks' signing of Derek Fisher, citing the veteran point guard's impact on the Oklahoma City locker room last season.

Martin Says Return To Thunder A Strong Possibility

December 4th, 2012 at 7:48pm CST by Chuck Myron

Kevin Martin is set to become a free agent next summer, and though he and his agent have not spoken with the Thunder about an extension, the 29-year-old shooting guard made it clear that re-signing with Oklahoma City is a strong possibility, according to Michael Scotto of RealGM.com. Still, Martin is excited about the prospect of hitting unrestricted free agency for the first time.

"I’m a Midwest guy and it’s going to be an interesting summer for myself, because I never got a chance to really be a free agent and I’m going to be high in the shooting guard class, so hopefully everything works out here," Martin said. "We have a great thing right now and I’m just living in the moment."

Martin, who's making $12.44MM this season, has inherited the team's sixth man role from James Harden, for whom he was traded just before the season began. It's no surprise that he and the Thunder aren't talking about his contract right now, since the team would only be able to give him three more years in an extension, while they could re-sign him for up to five years when he's a free agent in July.

According to Martin, "everything's been positive" since he joined the Thunder. He's averaging 16.1 points per game on 46.2% shooting, but those numbers are down from the 16.8 PPG and 49.1% shooting Harden gave them last year. Still, the Thunder are off to a fast start, at 14-4. The team wasn't willing to give Harden a max deal, but reportedly made him a four-year offer for a few million dollars less than that. I'm not sure if they're prepared to pay Martin the same money they'd have given Harden, but if they decide to keep the Western Carolina product around, four years and $50MM would probably be enough to convince Martin to return.

Unless Monta Ellis exercises his early termination option to leave the Bucks, Martin figures to be at the top of a relatively weak market for shooting guards next summer. O.J. Mayo, J.R. Smith and Manu Ginobili are other intriguing names who could be available, as our Hoops Rumors list of 2013/14 free agents shows.

Odds & Ends: Martin, Blatche, Lillard, Gibson

December 2nd, 2012 at 10:56pm CST by Sean Highkin

The latest news and notes from around the NBA on Sunday evening:

Darnell Mayberry of the Oklahoman writes that Kevin Martin is performing up to expectations since being acquired by the Thunder in the James Harden trade.
Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel thinks, in hindsight, that the Heat would have been wise to sign Andray Blatche this summer. Miami was held back by concerns about his effect on the locker room, as well as their belief in Josh Harrellson and Dexter Pittman, Winderman adds.
Joe Freeman of the Oregonian admires the poise of Damian Lillard as the Trail Blazers rookie continues to impress.
Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com likes what he's seen from Taj Gibson since signing a four-year extension with the Bulls.
Mark Potash of the Chicago Sun-Times adds to the praise of Gibson while also singling out Jimmy Butler for his defensive impact.
Mike Ganter of the Toronto Sun writes that Raptors bigs Amir Johnson and Ed Davis have not received due attention for their contributions.
Rick Bonnell of the Oklahoman examines the Bobcats' defensive successes this season.
Keith Langolis of Pistons.com says that rookie Kyle Singler has made a fan of head coach Lawrence Frank with his work ethic.
Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle praises Patrick Patterson's improvement.

James Harden Links: Martin, Thunder, Rockets

November 28th, 2012 at 12:58pm CST by Luke Adams

One of the most intriguing games on tonight's NBA schedule sees James Harden and the Rockets, coming off a Tuesday win over the Raptors, heading to Oklahoma City to face the Thunder. It was just a month ago that the two teams finalized the shocking trade that sent Harden to Houston, so plenty is being written today about that deal and the Sixth Man of the Year's return to OKC. Here are a few stories of note:

Harden downplayed tonight's contest, calling it "just another game," as Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle writes. However, Daequan Cook, who changed teams along with Harden in last month's deal, thinks the Rockets' star cares more than he lets on: "I know this game means a lot to him. He’s going to want to play his best basketball. This game means so much right now to him. You’re going to see a different mindset with him."
Kevin Martin has been a servicable replacement for Harden in Oklahoma City, but it's not clear how the team plans to replace that production when Martin's contract expires next summer, says ESPN.com's John Hollinger (Insider link). Hollinger's also wonders how the Thunder would have proceeded if Harden had accepted their $54MM extension offer, since even that non-maximum salary would have put the team well into luxury-tax territory next year.
ESPN.com's Brian Windhorst looks at how the Thunder have adjusted to losing Harden, with Kevin Durant noting that the club's "chemistry is getting better each day."
While the Thunder have played well without Harden, the team misses his pick-and-roll ability, according to Sean Deveney of The Sporting News.
Both ESPN.com and The Oklahoman surveyed several writers on burning questions relating to the Harden trade, including whether dealing him was the right move and whether Russell Westbrook or Harden will be the better player in the long-term.

Odds & Ends: Rubio, Noah, Tucker

November 25th, 2012 at 6:28pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune recently reported that Timberwolves guard Ricky Rubio is scheduled to visit with his surgeon on Monday and hopes to be cleared for contact practice by the time the team concludes its road trip on Wednesday night. While GM David Kahn hasn't put a timetable on Rubio's return, Zgoda writes that it doesn't appear too far off based on the vigorous workouts he's seen the young guard participate in recently. Earlier this month, owner Glen Taylor said he expected Rubio to be cleared by mid-December. With that aside, here is where you'll find more of tonight's odds and ends:

Leandro Barbosa has thrived as a scorer for the Celtics in limited minutes, says A. Sherrod Blakeley of CSNNE.com.
Scott Powers of ESPN Chicago takes a look at how Joakim Noah's numbers currently stack up against the Eastern Conference's most productive centers at this point. Without a doubt though, Powers writes, Noah is having his best season yet since being drafted by the Bulls in 2007.
Paul Coro of AZ Central calls P.J. Tucker the Suns' best find since Goran Dragic. With defenses helping off in addition to two straight games with double figure scoring (11 and 15 points respectively), Tucker has begun to shed the label that he's an offensive liability.
Keith Schlosser or Ridiculous Upside says that Troy Hudson can use his opportunity in the D-League to garner attention from NBA teams the same way Mike James did last year to earn an opportunity with the Bulls.
Jon Marks of Sheridan Hoops examines how Kevin Martin has seamlessly accepted his role as a complementary player on a Thunder team which Martin believes is on a "championship level."

Odds & Ends: Odom, Duncan, Johnson, Blazers

November 11th, 2012 at 10:20pm CST by Sean Highkin

The latest news and notes from around the NBA on Sunday evening:

Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times writes that the Clippers still aren't sure what contributions they can expect from Lamar Odom this season.
Tim Duncan is playing like an MVP candidate this season, says Dan McCarney of the San Antonio Express-News.
David D'Alessandro of the Newark Star-Ledges examines Nets guard Joe Johnson's slow start to the season.
The Trail Blazers have the least productive bench in the league so far, but Chris Haynes of CSNNW.comthinks the team should give their young reserves more playing time so they can develop and improve.
Marc Berman of the New York Post writes that the Knicks' J.R. Smith is an early candidate for Sixth Man of the Year.
Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com has a new mailbag covering various Celtics topics.
Barry Tramel of the Oklahoman is impressed with new Thunder guard Kevin Martin.

New Faces: Lewis, Lin, Landry, Martin, Johnson

November 8th, 2012 at 8:50pm CST by Alex Lee

Between the Dwight Howard sweepstakes and the implementation of the new CBA, this offseason was one to rememeber. While we are barely a week into the new season, it is only natural for glowing reports to emerge of players who have shined with their new teams. They are premature for sure, but so many players changed teams that keeping tabs on them is always useful:

Now coming off the bench for the Heat, Rashard Lewis is healthy for the first time in two years, writes Chris Tomasson of Fox Sports. Lewis was hampered by knee injuries the past few seasons, but has looked great so far in Miami, showing more lift in his jumpshot and even throwing down a few dunks last night against the Nets.
Within the same piece, Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld looks at Jeremy Lin and Carl Landry. While James Harden has deservedly gotten the Rockets headlines, Lin has quietly lived up to the hype during his brief time so far in Houston. Meanwhile, Landry, a former Rocket, is proving once again that he is one of the NBA's most underrated players, this time averaging 17 points as a member of the Warriors.
The man traded for Harden, the Thunder's Kevin Martin, is shooting a ridiculous 62 percent from three point range and averaging over 19 PPG so far in Oklahoma City, writes Chris Sheridan. While Harden is clearly the best piece moved in the deal, it isn't hard to imagine Martin's skills and those draft picks making it look respectable for Sam Presti and the Thunder.
Averging only 14 PPG, Joe Johnson is still getting acclimated to his new role on the Nets, writes Roderick Boone of Newsday. The mixture in Brooklyn will probably take longer than most to jell, considering that not only is nearly the whole team new, but most of the high profile players have never played on anything close to an elite team before.
Kosta Koufos hasn't been a member of the Jazz since 2010, but Bill Oram's story about the former Utah draft pick's rise into the Nuggets starting lineup sure makes it feel like it was yesterday. After beating out JaVale McGee for the center spot, Koufos is averaging 6.6 points and 5.6 rebounds per game in Denver.
Shipped to Orlando after being drafted by Philly, Maurice Harkless played more than 22 minutes in his Magic debut on Wednesday, writes Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel. Harkless didn't participate in preseason while he was recovering from a sports hernia, and still isn't 100 percent, but it sounds like the rookie is on his way.