Re-drafting the 2020 NBA Draft — 27. Kenyon Martin Jr., Utah Jazz
Kenyon Martin Jr. caught on late in the season with Houston, and ended up having some of the most prolific performances of any rookie in the class. He’s not as special as his numbers would suggest (the Rockets were actively trying to lose), but Martin is very clearly an NBA player in the athletic, energy-infused tradition of his father.
The Jazz need more athletes on the perimeter. Especially wing athletes who can defend at the point of attack and provide resistance on defense. Martin did a little big of everything defensively for Houston, from crashing the glass and blocking shots, to switching onto the perimeter. At 6-foot-6, he’s a springboard athlete who would have a chance to carve out minutes on the West’s No. 1 seed.
Martin hit 36.5 percent of his 3s as a rookie, albeit on small volume, and converted on 50.9 percent of his overall field goals. He’s an excellent finisher and lob threat who proved he could score in bunches when force-fed shot attempts. Martin is incredibly active and will make himself available around the basket. The Jazz offense has the shooters and playmakers necessary to maximize his skill set.