A former Philadelphia 76ers forward is getting a second chance in the NBA. KJ Martin is reportedly set to join the Minnesota Timberwolves for training camp, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
Martin returns to the Association after a run with the Ningbo Rockets of the Chinese Basketball Association.
Running out of time
When the Sixers acquired Martin during the 2023-2024 NBA season, he was the youngest player in a package coming from the Los Angeles Clippers in the Halloween blockbuster deal that sent James Harden packing. He was far from the most popular in the package, but he ended up sticking with the Sixers beyond that initial season.
He played in 58 games for the 76ers, picking up two starts. Martin saw the court for 12.3 minutes per game. He shot 54.4% from the field, averaging 3.7 points per game. The veteran forward came down with 2.2 rebounds per game.
That summer, Martin’s contract expired. He re-signed with the Sixers on a two-year deal, worth $16 million. The structure of the contract made it clear that Martin had a good shot at getting traded. As expected, the Sixers moved Martin, but not before sending him out for 24 games, with an average of 20.0 minutes per game.
Martin was more efficient than ever—making 61.6% of his field goals and 38.1% of his threes—averaging 6.4 points per game. He also came down with 3.0 rebounds per game. The 76ers dumped Martin off to the Detroit Pistons, then he was flipped to the rebuilding Utah Jazz. After showing plenty of promise with the Sixers, Martin had an underwhelming 19-game showing with the Jazz.
The Sixers stint showed promise
Martin has the production that backs up the fact that he can be a valuable role player in the league. During his earliest NBA days with the Houston Rockets, he had a steady role for three seasons. After he posted averages of 12.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game in 82 games with the Rockets, he was sent to the Clippers.
Since then, Martin hasn’t gotten a chance to stay within a team’s rotation. Whether that’s proof of what his true value is or a case of a player simply getting overlooked, the 25-year-old forward will soon attempt to prove that it’s the latter situation. The Timberwolves’ situation proves to be a steep hill to climb, but a second sample size of Martin in Philadelphia is a strong teaser for what he could be with some steady minutes.
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