Tyrese Martin

Atlantic Notes: Grimes, Celtics, Thomas, Martin

Quentin Grimes has been traded three times since February 2024, but he’s not letting that impact his play, as Jared Weiss of The Athletic details. As we wrote on Thursday, Grimes is looking like a keeper for the Sixers, having averaged 16.8 points per game in his first 12 appearances with the team.

It’s tough. As soon as you get comfortable, you get traded,” Grimes said. “But you gotta keep a level head. You got to go out there and produce.

While Grimes had productive moments in New York and Dallas, he’s getting a chance to have the ball in his hands far more than before, initiating offense as opposed to simply spotting up.

He’s been able to still kind of find his way, even with the extra pressure, extra bodies,” head coach Nick Nurse said. “He’s doing a good job of just getting into his shots and getting to places that he wants to go and getting the shots off. Obviously, he’s on a bit of a hot streak.

According to Weiss, Grimes was shocked to be traded from Dallas this season. He had been productive there, averaging 10.2 points while shooting 39.8% from three in 47 games (12 starts).

It’s crazy what’s going on, so it’s a blessing in disguise that I got moved,” Grimes said. “But I feel for them for sure. We had a tight-knit group over there this season. We had a good chance of winning it all. But that’s the NBA and dudes get moved all the time.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

  • The Celtics blew out the Sixers on Thursday, winning by nearly 20 points despite being down five rotation players. None of Jrue Holiday, Al Horford, Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porzingis or Sam Hauser were able to suit up, allowing for Boston’s bench players to step up. According to MassLive’s Brian Robb, Baylor Scheierman, Torrey Craig and Jordan Walsh were among the standouts. Scheierman scored a career-high 15 points, Craig accounted for 12 and Walsh had several good moments. Neemias Queta and two-way player Drew Peterson also both started for Boston. Queta recorded eight points, nine rebounds and four assists.
  • Nets guard Cam Thomas is looking to finish the season strong after injuries disrupted a promising year, Brian Lewis of the New York Post writes. Thomas will hit restricted free agency after the season. “I mean, that’s just the name of it. I just want to finish strong just to finish strong,” Thomas said. “I’m not really worried about [my] contract year or anything. I mean, I think all of that will take care of itself.
  • In his last six games, Nets forward Tyrese Martin is averaging 12.0 points per contest, including a 23-point outburst against Detroit on March 1 and a 17-point outing in a close loss to Golden State on Thursday. As the New York Post’s Bridget Reilly writes, Martin is becoming an indispensable bench piece for Brooklyn. “Yeah, consistency. He’s a true pro. I play him off the ball, he plays well. I play him at point guard, he does his best and he’s getting better, like [Thursday],” coach Jordi Fernández said. “Defensively, he’s on point. He knows coverages, he knows everything. He shows up and works every day with a good attitude and he’s a great teammate. That’s what we want from everybody, but it’s not that easy to do it. He’s doing it consistently and that’s why he deserves all these good things that are coming to him, that he’s doing, that are coming his way.” Martin was recently converted from a two-way contract to a standard deal and has a team option for next season.

Nets Notes: Hayes, Martin, C. Johnson, Giannis

Killian Hayes made his Nets debut on Thursday, recording five points, three assists and a block in 21 minutes off the bench. A former lottery pick, the French guard was recently given a 10-day contract by Brooklyn after spending the entire season with the team’s G League affiliate in Long Island.

I felt very grateful,” Hayes said, per Collin Helwig of NetsDaily. “I felt like a lot of work got put into this, and I’m just very grateful for this opportunity.”

As Helwig notes, the last game of Hayes’ 10-day deal is March 1 against the Pistons, the team that cut him last February after spending most of four seasons in Detroit. For now, the 23-year-old says he’s trying to take things one day at a time.

My goal is to stay in the NBA, make a mark for myself,” Hayes said. “But I think my short-term goals are, you know, just be a team player, show what I can do in these 10 days I have, and just keep going from there. Just helping my teammates, being a great teammate, being a great locker room guy, and just do what I have to do.”

Here’s more from Brooklyn:

  • Hayes wasn’t the only player who earned a promotion on Thursday, as Tyrese Martin was also converted from his two-way contract to a two-year, standard deal. Martin’s career has taken a circuitous route to reach this point, and he admits a weight was lifted after learning of the news, according to Helwig. “Just coming in every day, with a great mindset, just trying to get one percent better,” Martin said of his journey. “You know, being a great person and just being the best teammate I could be even when things might not be going how I want them to go. So I just stuck to those three things and, you know, it just panned out the way for me the way I wanted it to.” Head coach Jordi Fernandez praised Martin for his work ethic and character, Helig adds, stating that the 25-year-old wing has consistently done an “amazing job” since he’s been with the team.
  • Veteran forward Cameron Johnson was heavily involved in trade rumors leading up to the deadline, but the Nets wound up hanging onto him. Explaining that decision in a team-produced interview (YouTube link), general manager Sean Marks praised Johnson’s fit both on and off the court. “With Cam, there was a lot of interest in him just as there was with a lot of our guys but we like Cam and we think Cam fits multiple builds that we are doing,” Marks said (story via NetsDaily). “He’s a voice of reason. He’s well-respected within that locker room. He’s a pro’s pro. So if people can learn from somebody, they learn from Cam Johnson. That’s a great guy to pick up habits from.”
  • If the Bucks decide to entertain offers for Giannis Antetokounmpo this offseason, the Nets could be the frontrunners to land the two-time MVP due to all the draft assets they control, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post. “You have to be poised and position yourself to be able to have that opportunity,” Marks told The Post earlier this season. “We’re going to give ourselves the best chance to do that. Now, on whom and when, that’s TBD.” As Lewis writes, Shams Charania of ESPN recently reported that Antetokounmpo won’t be content if Milwaukee suffers another early postseason exit, though there’s no indication that he’d request a trade in that scenario. “Everyone knows Giannis Antetokounmpo loves the Bucks, but I’m here to tell you, he loves winning more,” Charania said. “That’s why everyone in that Bucks organization knows what’s at stake: the pressure. Every summer, when Giannis looks around and looks at the Bucks’ roster, he looks at sustained, long-term winning and where he would be able to find that. And he has said audibly on the record that if he feels like that’s not attainable anymore in Milwaukee, he will look elsewhere.”
  • In case you missed it, we passed along a handful of other notes related to the Nets on Thursday night, including that Cam Thomas is nearing a return from a left hamstring strain that has kept him on the shelf since Jan. 2.

Nets Notes: Thomas, Martin, Hayes, Russell

Nets guard Cam Thomas hasn’t played since January 2, but he’s nearing a return that’s sure to help boost Brooklyn and allay their shooting woes, Brian Lewis of the New York Post writes. Thomas was expected to play in five-on-five scrimmages on Thursday.

We know (what) he does offensively so, there’s no question. We all know exactly what Cam Thomas is going to do when he gets back out there. I think all our offensive struggles will come to an end as soon as he steps foot out there,Trendon Watford said.

Watford went on to say Thomas is the best pure bucket-getter he has ever played with. In 19 games this season (17 starts), the fourth-year wing has averaged 24.7 points per game while shooting 44.8% from the floor and 37.5% from three.

It’s always a process, but I just see it as a positive. He was so impactful and so good for the group, and I always see it as a positive,” head coach Jordi Fernandez said. “We’ve had so many different lineups, and when you bring somebody as talented as he is, it’s just positive … we just know he’s going to make us better.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

  • The Nets converted Tyrese Martin to a standard contract this week. According to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto (Twitter link), the Nets signed Martin to a two-year, $2.83MM contract. That deal includes a team option for the 2025/26 season and a rest-of-season salary that’s slightly above the minimum. Brooklyn used a small portion of its mid-level exception to complete the signing.
  • Brooklyn also added guard Killian Hayes to its roster by signing him to a 10-day contract. He suited up for the team on Thursday, recording five points and three assists. Before the game, coach Jordi Fernandez commented on the signing, per Lewis (Twitter link). “Having a traditional backup point guard is good for us,” he said. “This 10 days is important not just for him but also for us if he can do the things we’re asking him to do. But we know who he is; thats the reason we brought him in the first place.” Fernandez coached Hayes in training camp before he was waived and began the year in the G League.
  • Point guard D’Angelo Russell exited Thursday’s game against the Cavaliers and was later ruled out due to a left ankle sprain, as relayed by Andscape’s Marc J. Spears (Twitter link). It’s unclear how much time he’ll miss due to the injury. Prior to the game, Cavs head coach and former Brooklyn coach Kenny Atkinson called Russell a star and was complimentary of the veteran, according to Lewis (Twitter link). “He must be in the perfect place now,” Atkinson said. “He’s seen it all. He’s at that age where I assume he’s the alpha in that locker room. I’m a big fan of the player, big fan of the leader, big fan of the person.

Nets Expected To Promote Tyrese Martin To Standard Contract

The Nets are expected to finalize a new standard contract with shooting guard Tyrese Martin ahead of Thursday’s game vs. Cleveland, promoting him from his two-way deal to the team’s 15-man roster, sources tell Brian Lewis of The New York Post (Twitter link).

Martin, who will turn 26 next month, has been a fixture in Brooklyn’s rotation for most of this season, averaging 7.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in 21.0 minutes per game across 36 contests (six starts). He has a shooting line of .391/.338/.719.

Although he has only made 36 appearances, Martin has been active for 50 of the Nets’ 54 games so far this season, reaching the limit for a player on a two-way contract. That means in order to play in any more games for Brooklyn during the season’s final two months, the former second-round pick will need to be elevated to the standard roster.

The Nets have had an open spot on their 15-man roster since buying out Ben Simmons shortly after this month’s trade deadline, so no corresponding move will be necessary in order to accommodate Martin’s promotion.

While the exact terms of the agreement aren’t known, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link) reports that Martin will sign a multiyear contract. Brooklyn could dip into its mid-level exception if it wants to offer a deal longer than two years.

Once the promotion is official, the Nets will have a full 15-man roster but will open up a two-way slot. The deadline for teams to sign players to two-way contracts is March 4.

Several Two-Way Players Nearing NBA Game Limit

NBA players on two-way contracts operate under different regulations than the rest of the league. One of the most important differences is they are limited in the number of games that they’re permitted to be on the active roster.

For two-way players who’ve been with their current teams since the start of the season, that number is 50. Each time they’re listed as active counts toward that total, whether they play or not. Players who sign two-way deals during the season have their limit of games pro-rated.

Those numbers are becoming important since we’ve passed the halfway point of the season, and Keith Smith of Spotrac sent out a tweet earlier today identifying a few players who are getting close to reaching their limits.

Once a player hits his allotted number of games, he’s not eligible to appear in the NBA as a two-way player for the rest of the season. He can remain on the team and play in the G League, but he must be signed to a standard contract to see any more NBA action.

Here are the names Smith noted and the number of games they have remaining:

  • Jacob Toppin, Knicks (2) – New York has used up nearly all of Toppin’s active time, even though he has only gotten into 15 games and averages 3.1 minutes per night. The small forward seems likely to finish the season in the G League.
  • Tyrese Martin, Nets (5) – Martin has become part of the rotation in Brooklyn, averaging 21.3 minutes in the 31 games that he played. The shooting guard is a little old for a prospect at 25, but he seems like a strong candidate to land a regular roster spot so the Nets can evaluate him for the rest of the season.
  • Jordan Miller, Clippers (5) – The small forward isn’t part of the rotation in L.A. and may not be in the team’s playoff plans. He has logged just one minute in three of his last four appearances, and the Clippers don’t appear concerned about preserving the number of games he has remaining. He has been mentioned as a candidate for a promotion.
  • Jared Butler, Wizards (8) – Washington has nothing left to play for, so it makes sense to take a long look at the 24-year-old combo guard. This is Butler’s fourth NBA season and his second with the Wizards, so this is a good time to determine whether he’ll be part of their future.
  • Brandon Boston Jr., Pelicans (9) – Boston was among the two-way players most likely to earn a promotion even before the season-ending injury to Dejounte Murray. Boston has played in all 41 games in which he’s been listed as active, making 10 starts and averaging 10.7 PPG in 23.9 minutes per night.

Here are a few more players getting close to their game limits:

  • Kai Jones, Clippers (11) – Jones has made 27 appearances as a backup center, but he’s only averaging 2.2 points in 7.6 minutes per night. The addition of Drew Eubanks in today’s trade with Utah gives L.A. another veteran big man and lessens the need to promote Jones to the standard roster.
  • Moussa Diabate, Hornets (11) – Part of the reasoning for the Nick Richards trade was Diabate’s emergence as a dependable center off the bench. He’s been playing big minutes over the past week and seems like he’ll definitely be on a standard contract soon.
  • Ryan Rollins, Bucks (12) – Rollins is a marginal member of Milwaukee’s rotation, making five starts in his 30 appearances and playing 11.9 minutes per night. His fate could depend on what the Bucks are able to do before Thursday’s trade deadline.

Atlantic Notes: Brown, Towns, Knicks, Martin

Celtics All-Star wing Jaylen Brown has seen his injury status upgraded ahead of Boston’s Sunday tilt against Oklahoma City. According to Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe (Twitter link), the 6’6″ forward will play his first game of 2025 after having been sidelined with a right shoulder strain since New Year’s Eve.

The 28-year-old has been in fine form when he has played for the 26-9 Celtics. Brown is averaging 24.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.4 steals per night through 28 healthy games, with shooting splits of .461/.332/.734. The reigning Finals MVP seems well on his way to earning the fourth All-Star berth of his career and should be in the mix for his second All-NBA spot.

As Noa Dalzell of CLNS Sports tweets, Brown’s availability marks the first time in 17 games that Boston will be fielding a fully healthy rotation.

There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

  • Knicks All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns seems to have dodged a major injury after exiting an eventual 139-126 Saturday loss to the Bulls late, per Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. Towns departed the game with just over 90 seconds remaining after being on the receiving end of a hard Nikola Vucevic foul while attempting a layup. He was able to walk under his own power, albeit with a noticeable limp. New York ultimately decided that additional testing was unnecessary. “I got hit,” Towns said. “I was going to go for a dunk. Saw [Coby White] was probably not going to give it to me, and then I switched hands, tried to do my best Michael Jordan impression… It hurt. Really all I saw was an and-one that was too late to help us win. Honest to God, I didn’t even know I made it.”
  • Despite leading Chicago 72-63 at the break, the Knicks seemed to lose their verve in the second half, Bondy writes in another story for the New York Post. New York was outscored 41-17 in the third quarter and essentially never recovered. In fairness, the Knicks were playing the second game of a back-to-back set, having also lost to the West-leading Thunder on Friday. “Back-to-backs are part of the league,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said, conceding that his team losing steam could be the result of a Chicago energy advantage. “Couple that with [the Bulls] were off for three days. I knew they were going to be high energy. And I thought offensively we scored plenty. Defensively, we have to do better.
  • First-year Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez heaped high praise on young two-way player Tyrese Martin on Saturday, writes Bridget Reilly of The New York Post. With forward Cameron Johnson and guards Cam Thomas, D’Angelo Russell and Ben Simmons injured, Brooklyn had to lean on its depth for help against the Sixers in a blowout loss Saturday. Martin chipped in 16 points, five boards and three dimes. “Tyrese has been great the whole year,” Fernandez said. “He’s been consistent. Consistent in the rotation, for the most part, and he’s taking advantage of his opportunities. It starts, not just right now, it starts in the summer. He was fighting for a two-way spot. He did all the right things every single day… And now he’s getting NBA minutes and doing a great job.”

Several Two-Way Players Nearing NBA Game Limit

NBA players on two-way contracts operate under different regulations than the rest of the league. One of the most important differences is they are limited in the number of games that they’re permitted to be on the active roster.

For two-way players who’ve been with their current teams since the start of the season, that number is 50. Each time they’re listed as active counts toward that total, whether they play or not. Players who sign two-way deals during the season have their limit of games pro-rated.

Those numbers are becoming important since we’ve passed the halfway point of the season, and Keith Smith of Spotrac sent out a tweet earlier today identifying a few players who are getting close to reaching their limits.

Once a player hits his allotted number of games, he’s not eligible to appear in the NBA as a two-way player for the rest of the season. He can remain on the team and play in the G League, but he must be signed to a standard contract to see any more NBA action.

Here are the names Smith noted and the number of games they have remaining:

  • Jacob Toppin, Knicks (2) – New York has used up nearly all of Toppin’s active time, even though he has only gotten into 15 games and averages 3.1 minutes per night. The small forward seems likely to finish the season in the G League.
  • Tyrese Martin, Nets (5) – Martin has become part of the rotation in Brooklyn, averaging 21.3 minutes in the 31 games that he played. The shooting guard is a little old for a prospect at 25, but he seems like a strong candidate to land a regular roster spot so the Nets can evaluate him for the rest of the season.
  • Jordan Miller, Clippers (5) – The small forward isn’t part of the rotation in L.A. and may not be in the team’s playoff plans. He has logged just one minute in three of his last four appearances, and the Clippers don’t appear concerned about preserving the number of games he has remaining.
  • Jared Butler, Wizards (8) – Washington has nothing left to play for, so it makes sense to take a long look at the 24-year-old combo guard. This is Butler’s fourth NBA season and his second with the Wizards, so this is a good time to determine whether he’ll be part of their future.
  • Brandon Boston Jr., Pelicans (9) – Boston was among the two-way players most likely to earn a promotion even before the season-ending injury to Dejounte Murray. Boston has played in all 41 games in which he’s been listed as active, making 10 starts and averaging 10.7 PPG in 23.9 minutes per night.

Here are a few more players getting close to their game limits:

  • Kai Jones, Clippers (11) – Jones has made 27 appearances as a backup center, but he’s only averaging 2.2 points in 7.6 minutes per night. The addition of Drew Eubanks in today’s trade with Utah gives L.A. another veteran big man and lessens the need to keep Jones on the roster.
  • Moussa Diabate, Hornets (11) – Part of the reasoning for the Nick Richards trade was Diabate’s emergence as a dependable center off the bench. He’s been playing big minutes over the past week and seems like he’ll definitely be on a standard contract soon.
  • Ryan Rollins, Bucks (12) – Rollins is a marginal member of Milwaukee’s rotation, making five starts in his 30 appearances and playing 11.9 minutes per night. His fate could depend on what the Bucks are able to do before Thursday’s trade deadline.

Atlantic Notes: Martin, Simmons, Nets, Raptors, Celtics

Entering Wednesday’s contest in Phoenix, Nets wing Tyrese Martin had scored 33 career points in 105 minutes over 21 NBA games. Martin, who is on a two-way deal with Brooklyn, proceeded to light up the Suns, scoring 30 points on 10-of-13 shooting — including 8-of-10 from three-point range — in 28 minutes during the 10-point win, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post.

S–t, I felt like I was drowning in the ocean. Everybody’s throwing water, it’s cold. A lot of love, though. A lot of love. It felt good,” Martin said of the post-game victory celebration.

Definitely felt surreal, especially in the environment and situation we’re in with this team. A lot of teams probably take us lightly when we come into town. … But we’re here to compete and play hard. So to do it on this stage against Hall of Fame players like Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, definitely a surreal feeling.”

Martin received some extra playing time after it was reported that leading scorer Cam Thomas would miss three-to-four weeks with a strained hamstring. A 2022 second-round pick who spent all of last season in the G League with the Iowa Wolves, the 25-year-old said he took advantage of being a relatively unknown commodity.

I just feel like they didn’t know who I was. So … they’re probably not going to really pay attention to you on the defensive end,” Martin said. “But I bet you they know who I am now.”

Here’s more from the Atlantic:

  • Martin’s career night overshadowed to some extent Ben Simmons‘ best game of the season so far, according to Collin Helwig of NetsDaily.com. Simmons was unusually aggressive from the opening tip, finishing with 14 points on 7-of-8 shooting, nine rebounds, eight assists and a steal in 27 minutes. “I think I’m just getting more comfortable,” the Nets swingman said. “I’ve been away from the game for a while in terms of being healthy and it takes time to get back to back to where I want to be.” Dennis Schröder (29 points, four rebounds, three assists, a game-high plus-19 in 34 minutes) and Trendon Watford (18 points in 22 minutes off the bench) also had strong outings during Brooklyn’s third straight road victory, Helwig notes.
  • The Raptors‘ first road victory of the season came in blowout fashion on Wednesday in New Orleans. Toronto received contributions up and down the roster, but the play of Jamison Battle (a career-high 24 points on 9-of-11 shooting), Ochai Agbaji (24 points on 9-of-10 shooting, six rebounds) and Ja’Kobe Walter (14 points, 11 rebounds, five assists) was particularly encouraging, per Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. Battle is on a two-way contract after going undrafted out of Ohio State, while Walter was a first-round pick in June’s draft (No. 19 overall). A former lottery pick, Agbaji will be eligible for a rookie scale extension next summer.
  • How will Kristaps Porzingis‘ return impact the Celtics‘ rotation? Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston explores that question and more in his latest mailbag.

Nets Convert Tyrese Martin To Two-Way; Waive Killian Hayes, Amari Bailey

The Nets have converted forward Tyrese Martin to a two-way contract and waived guards Killian Hayes and Amari Bailey, according to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto and New York Post’s Brian Lewis (Twitter links).

Brooklyn’s roster now stands at the regular season limit of 18 players, with 15 on standard contracts and all three two-way slots filled.

Martin, the No. 51 overall pick in the 2022 draft, spent the first year of his career with the Hawks. He only saw action in 16 games and was waived the following offseason. Martin played last season for the Timberwolves’ G League affiliate in Iowa, averaging 16.9 points and 7.7 rebounds in 39 games.

A former UConn standout, Martin signed to an Exhibit 10 deal with Brooklyn this offseason. He stood out in four preseason appearances with the Nets, averaging just 4.8 PPG but often receiving playing time alongside the Nets’ bench players and other two-ways. He was ahead of Bailey and the other non-guaranteed training camp invitees in minutes.

Hayes spent the first four seasons of his career in Detroit after being drafted with the No. 7 overall pick in 2020. He showed chops as a play-maker, averaging 5.2 assists per game across 210 career appearances, but he only shot 38.2% from the field in those games. After being waived by the Pistons at last season’s trade deadline, he didn’t catch on with another team for the rest of 2023/24.

This offseason, Hayes signed an Exhibit 10 deal with the Nets. While his four years of NBA service made him ineligible for a two-way deal, he’ll still qualify for a bonus worth $77.5K if he spends at least 60 days with Brooklyn’s G League affiliate in Long Island.

Hayes didn’t suit up in a preseason game with the Nets while dealing with a hip injury. According to Charania, he’ll rehab the injury in the G League this season.

Bailey was a one-and-done prospect after suiting up for UCLA in 2022/23. He was the 41st pick in the 2023 draft by the Hornets and spent last season on a two-way deal. However, Bailey only got into 10 NBA games and the Hornets opted not to bring him back in free agency, leading to him signing an Exhibit 10 deal with the Nets.

He played more extensively in the G League as a rookie, averaging an impressive 18.8 points and 4.3 assists on a .452/.358/.705 shooting split. Like Hayes, he’ll be eligible for a $77.5K bonus if he winds up spending at least two months with Long Island.

Given that both players are 23 or younger, there’s a chance the rebuilding Nets could revisit one or both if they open up roster spots via trade this season.

Nets Sign Tyrese Martin, Killian Hayes

The Nets have signed free agents Tyrese Martin and Killian Hayes, the team announced (Twitter links).

The seventh overall pick in the 2020 draft, Hayes spent three-and-a-half seasons with the Pistons before being waived in February. Hayes’ agreement with the Nets was first reported in late July. While Hayes is on a non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 contract, he’ll reportedly be given an opportunity to earn a regular season roster spot.

Martin’s agreement with the Nets was not previously reported, but had been speculated after Long Island traded for his returning rights from the Iowa Wolves a couple weeks ago. That indicates that Martin, who played for Brooklyn’s Summer League squad in July, likely signed an Exhibit 10 deal as well.

A 25-year-old wing who started his college career at Rhode Island before finishing at UConn, Martin was the 51st pick of the 2022 draft. He spent his rookie year on a standard deal with the Hawks, but only appeared in 16 regular season games for a total of 66 minutes, having spent most of the campaign in the G League.

Atlanta released Martin last summer, making him a free agent. He signed an Exhibit 10 deal with Minnesota last fall, was waived before 2023/24 began, and spent all of last season with the team’s NBAGL affiliate, the Iowa Wolves. In 39 total games with Iowa (33.5 MPG), Martin averaged 16.8 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 3.2 APG and 0.9 SPG on .447/.331/.831 shooting.

Unlike Hayes, Martin only has one year of NBA service time, making him eligible for a two-way contract. Exhibit 10 deals can be converted to two-way contracts, and Brooklyn has one two-way opening after signing Yongxi Cui.

The Nets now have 19 players under contract, two shy of the offseason limit, with several other reported agreements that have yet to be finalized.