The Philadelphia 76ers finally broke their silent streak on the trade market just a while a back when they traded Caleb Martin to the Mavs in exchange for Quentin Grimes and a second-round pick, but it seems like the front office is far from finished making moves as most fans expected.
In Daryl Morey and Elton Brand’s second entry on the lead-up to the trade deadline, the 76ers have reportedly dangled away KJ Martin and two second-round picks to the Detroit Pistons. It remains to be seen what kind of return the latter would send back, but the Pistons are expected to just take on Martin’s contract, which will subsist until next season.
The move comes as no surprise for anyone watching the 76ers. Martin has been out for more than a month now due to injury, and despite his much improved play this season, he has simply followed through as an expected trade chip.
The 76ers expectedly trade KJ Martin and open up more cap space
Martin was having a very strong season off the 76ers bench before he sufferred an injury. He has emerged as an elite play finisher, and his three-point shot has gotten much better, even in account of his very limited volume from downtown.
The young forward filled a unique tweener role for Philly, but his long-term future with the franchise has always been blurry. After all, the front office puzzlingly re-signed him last summer despite a forgettable stint last season ––– it being apparent that the team only intended for him to become a trade chip for later.
This is clearly a salary dump move for the 76ers. The front office has been making rounds trying to pinpoint pathways toward some much-needed cap relief, and this one definitely hits the mark as the Pistons are not expected to send salary back to Philly as part of this deal.
Now, Martin heads to an upstart Detroit team that could certainly benefit from having him around., The Pistons, while still lacking shooting, are a great fit for his skill set as an uber-athletic, defensive-minded forward that will make Detroit a more dangerous club on the break.
The Philadelphia 76ers may have pulled off a couple of trades already, but at this rate, it is hard to rule out another move from them. With the trade deadline nearly here, we highly advise you to stay glued to your phones.