Present position:Why 76ers' next big move should be overpaying a role player you may never have heard of >>Text
Why 76ers' next big move should be overpaying a role player you may never have heard of
Credit Card Protection Policies1Have read
About Why 76ers' next big move should be overpaying a role player you may never have heard of KJ Ma...
Why 76ers' next big move should be overpaying a role player you may never have heard of
KJ Martin could be crucial to Philadelphia's championship hopes next season
By Sam Quinn • 12 min readThe Philadelphia 76ers set up a number of big moves when they sent James Harden to the Los Angeles Clippers in October. The most obvious consequence of the deal was creating the cap space that they would later use to not only sign superstar Paul George, but key role players like Kelly Oubre Jr., Caleb Martin and Andre Drummond. They picked up extra draft capital in the process, giving them significantly more flexibility to work with down the line. But they quietly accomplished something else in that deal that could prove enormously important when they acquired a player that many NBA fans may not have heard of.
Meet Kenyon Martin Jr. He is the son of former No. 1 overall pick Kenyon Martin. He participated in the 2023 Slam Dunk Contest. He started his career with the Houston Rockets, joined the Clippers ahead of the 2023-24 season, and was dealt to Philadelphia only two games into his time in Los Angeles. He barely played for the 76ers, averaging only 3.7 points per game across 715 largely unmemorable minutes. He is a fringe NBA player at this point, athletic enough to have upside, but still largely unproven when it comes to genuinely contributing to winning.
But KJ Martin had a uniquely valuable contract. The Rockets drafted him No. 52 overall in the second round of the 2020 NBA Draft, and like most second-round picks, he had very little negotiating power. That meant that his initial salary was always going to be low, and sure enough, he made less than $2 million last season. That meant that his cap hold as a 2024 free agent was extremely low --meaning it only cost the 76ers around $2.1 million in cap space to keep him on the books this offseason while they did their other business. Obviously, that tiny cap hold didn't impede their ability to sign George, Oubre, Martin or Drummond.
However, the Rockets viewed Martin as a desirable long-term prospect when they drafted him. They wanted to keep him on a long-term deal, so instead of signing him for the rookie minimum, they dipped into their non-taxpayer mid-level exception to pay him a bit more in exchange for four years of team control. That meant that when his first contract expired, as it did this offseason, he would become an unrestricted free agent with full Bird Rights as opposed to the Early Bird Rights many second-round picks as restricted free agents following two-year rookie minimum deals. That difference gives the 76ers a chance to do something very creative to seek another major piece.
Tags:
Reprinted :Welcome friends to share to the network, but please explain the source of the article“Credit Card Protection Policies”。http://aqntz.feilaokan.com/k49p34.html
Related articles
2024 NBA Draft: Caleb Love withdraws, will return to Arizona for its first season in Big 12
Why 76ers' next big move should be overpaying a role player you may never have heard of2024 NBA Draft: Caleb Love withdraws, will return to Arizona for its first season in Big 12 L...
Read more
WNBA Finals Preview: How will Aces injuries impact Game 4 odds
Why 76ers' next big move should be overpaying a role player you may never have heard ofWNBA Finals Preview: How will Aces injuries impact Game 4 odds Calvin Wetzel on the potential...
Read more
Former NC State star DJ Burns Jr. dropped 45 pounds leading up to NBA Draft, per report
Why 76ers' next big move should be overpaying a role player you may never have heard ofFormer NC State star DJ Burns Jr. dropped 45 pounds leading up to NBA Draft, per report Burns...
Read more
Top Article
- WNBA Power Rankings: Lynx and rookie Dorka Juhasz make history, Liberty remain No. 1 ahead of Aces
- 2024 NCAA basketball championship game: UConn vs. Purdue matchup set as March Madness concludes
- Pros and cons for Reed Sheppard returning to Kentucky: Father Jeff addresses Mark Pope hiring
- Chargers will turn to veteran safety to help offset Alohi Gilman injury
- Packers' Josh Jacobs on verge of breaking unfortunate NFL record that has stood for 37 years
- Satou Sabally's career
Latest News
God of War Ragnarok Finally Adding Option to Tone Down Puzzle Hints, But Only on PC for Now
Arch Manning stats today: Texas QB wows in relief vs. UTSA after Quinn Ewers' injury
UConn wins 2024 national championship: Ranking all 12 NCAA Tournament wins in back
Will Florida fire Billy Napier? Looking at hot seat, contract buyout and Lane Kiffin rumors
NHL trade deadline: Devils deal winger Tyler Toffoli to Jets
2024 NFL Draft: LSU WR Malik Nabers declares as potential top