Tag: Kenyon Martin

KJ Martin clears the air over his departure from Houston Rockets

“I’m tired of seeing y’all say that my dad forced me out of playing in Houston,” KJ Martin says of his 2023 departure. “He had nothing to do with it.”

After a successful third NBA season, the Houston Rockets traded forward KJ Martin to the Los Angeles Clippers last offseason.

Martin was entering the fourth and final season of his initial NBA contract, and his role in Houston was unclear after the offseason additions of Dillon Brooks, Jeff Green, Amen Thompson, and Cam Whitmore (all played at least some forward minutes this season). There was also the matter of Jae’Sean Tate coming back from injury.

So, rather than risk losing Martin for no compensation after a season in which he might not play many minutes, anyway, Houston made the move early and got two second-round draft picks.

Some fans of the Rockets, and others around the league, wondered if there might’ve been more to the story. After all, Martin’s father — former NBA All-Star Kenyon Martin — was occasionally critical of Houston as an organization during its rebuilding years.

But this week, the younger Martin took to social media in an attempt to dispel that myth. Among his comments to X:

I’m tired of seeing y’all say that my dad forced me out of playing in Houston. He had nothing to do with it. He has his own opinion to say what he wants, like everyone else does. It was strictly NBA business on why I got traded.  Nothing more, nothing less!

I loved playing in Houston and wish I could’ve stayed. But things happen in the NBA, and you have to move on to different situations with other teams… and figure it out.

It is what it is. On to bigger and better things, God willing! So y’all can stop just saying anything.

As things turned out, Martin played considerably less this season with the Clippers and Philadelphia 76ers, which is where he was traded in November as part of the James Harden blockbuster.

Now, Martin enters unrestricted free agency this offseason having not played a consistent rotation role since his 2022-23 campaign in Houston (12.7 points (56.9% FG), 5.5 rebounds in 28.0 minutes).

Just 23 years old, Martin hasn’t lost any of his elite athleticism. But, it is an unusual time gap for a developing player, and time will tell as to what his market value is and whether any NBA team will offer him a definitive rotation spot for the 2024-25 campaign.

While the Rockets are an unlikely suitor given their frontcourt depth, it sounds as if he wants the door to at least be open to a potential return someday — even if 2024 is something of a stretch.

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Former star Kenyon Martin reacts to son, KJ, being traded to Sixers

Former NBA All-Star Kenyon Martin reacts to his son, KJ, being traded to the Philadelphia 76ers in the James Harden deal.

The Philadelphia 76ers made a big trade in the wee hours of Tuesday morning to send James Harden to the Los Angeles Clippers for a package of expiring contracts and draft picks. The deal ends the Harden saga in Philadelphia that began in June.

Along with Harden, the Sixers sent PJ Tucker and Filip Petrusev to the Clippers in exchange for Marcus Morris Sr., Nic Batum, Robert Covington, KJ Martin and draft picks.

Martin is the son of former NBA All-Star Kenyon Martin. The elder Martin was on an episode of “Gil’s Arena,” and he was a bit emotional about his son being sent across the country to the Sixers in the deal:

I never dealt with it as a player, for one. It was about the money, but not three games into the season. Not no (expletive) like this. This, you have to wake the wife up and tell her this, having to break this news to the little ones. They’re excited when KJ comes by, so it’s that that people don’t understand, you know what I’m saying? It’s hard to put into words without being emotional about it, but it’s a good thing. It’s really a good thing and I’m excited for him, man. … I’m excited for him, man. It’s just having to break that news to the little ones.

It’s stuff like this that people don’t necessarily think about when it comes to a big trade in the NBA. It can be an emotional time for almost everybody involved when a big move like this happens.

As for the younger Martin, KJ should get an opportunity to thrive under coach Nick Nurse in Philadelphia so it is a good thing for him.

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2000 NBA draft Rewind: Nets select Kenyon Martin first overall

The Brooklyn Nets came into the 2000 NBA draft as one of the worst teams in the league in need of upgrades and selected Kenyon Martin.

The Brooklyn Nets, despite Stephon Marbury’s phenomenal play, came into the 2000 NBA draft as one of the worst teams in the leagues with so many needs.

The season before the team did absolutely nothing to set themselves apart from the rest of the league, ranking 15th in both offensive points per game and defensive points allowed per game.

After having a franchise-low start to the season of only 2-15, the team struggled without their leader, Marbury. The star guard was having a particularly spectacular year averaging 22 points and eight dimes per contest, but it wasn’t enough to will the team to the postseason.

The then-New Jersey Nets decided to draft Kenyon Martin with their number one overall draft pick, putting their chips on an AAC alumni.

Martin had an explosive career playing collegiate hoops, leading the Cincinnati Bearcats to the number one overall ranking in college basketball for 12 weeks straight. He averaged nearly 19 points, nine rebounds, and over three blocks per contest in his senior campaign.

Martin had a phenomenal rookie season, earning First Team All-Rookie honors and coming in second in the NBA’s Rookie of the Year conversation. He averaged a dozen points and seven boards a game in year one and just one season later became an essential piece to the 2002 run to the NBA Finals.

With Jason Kidd running the floor for the Nets, the team was an instant championship competitor. Martin was able to team up with veterans Kerry Kittles and Keith Van Horn to make that run possible.

Martin will always have a special place in Nets fans’ hearts as he is one of the greatest NBA draft picks in the franchise’s history. He had a good career although mostly staking home in Denver with the Nuggets. Martin’s impact on the Nets was important at the turn of the century and his career is a testament to his competitiveness as a player.

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Ranking the top 5 draft picks in Brooklyn Nets franchise history

With the 2022 NBA Draft nearing, we look into the Brooklyn Nets top five draft picks in franchise history.

As we get closer to this year’s NBA Draft, Brooklyn Nets fans may be reminded of some great draft moments, which Nets Wire will be ranking in this edition.

The Nets have picked many talented athletes over the years with a wide variety of accolades, but today we’ll be looking at the top five draft picks in the franchise’s history.

The Nets joined the NBA following the ABA-NBA Merger back in 1976, before this year the team had not drafted a single player only twice(1998 & 2014) in their 40-plus seasons. The organization doesn’t have any picks in the upcoming 2022 NBA Draft, making the team’s pursuit of a rookie more challenging.

In the 2021-22 season, the Nets ranked ninth in the NBA in points per contest with 112, meaning a talented young scorer could elevate the team’s expectations. The Nets don’t necessarily need to upgrade their offense though, it’s their defense that needs work.

The Nets ranked 18th and 19th in the league in defensive rating and points allowed, respectively, proving that the organization has one major flaw.

As the organization goes into the 2022 draft, one can assume they’ll look into available trade picks via trade, but if not there’s a possibility their problems can be solved in free agency.

Kenyon Martin Sr. wants ‘winning situation’ for his son, KJ Martin

KJ Martin still has two seasons left on his contract with the Rockets, but his father — former NBA All-Star Kenyon Martin — wants more wins.

Uber-athletic forward KJ Martin still has two seasons left on his initial NBA contract with the Houston Rockets. But his father — former All-Star forward Kenyon Martin — is already thinking beyond that.

In the younger Martin’s first two NBA seasons, the Rockets have gone into a rebuilding movement while finishing with the league’s worst record in both years. The 21-year-old forward has been one of the clear bright spots, though, averaging 9.0 points (52.4% FG, 36.0% on 3-pointers) and 3.8 rebounds in 22.0 minutes per game over those two seasons.

“Houston is great, for what it’s been,” the elder Martin said of his son in a new interview with SiriusXM NBA Radio. “Getting acclimated, getting his feet in the door, learning the NBA game, and earning his minutes. Nothing has been given to him, he’s earned every minute that he’s had.”

However, while making clear that he wasn’t speaking for his son, Martin went on to say that he personally wants his son to have a “better situation,” as far as winning basketball games. Among his comments:

I just want a better situation for him, as far as winning. Houston is Houston. The way it’s looking now… that’s not going to be the case (winning) next year. They’re going to have another lottery pick, and be even younger. They’ve still got four 19-year-olds, and a couple of guys who will be 20 next year, so it’s still the same situation. For him to be with a bunch of young guys, and being able to play and compete, and get experience… you can’t ask for nothing more.

But, as far as winning, and the way the organization is going about certain things… I’d love for him to be in a different situation, in that regard. But if Houston changes, that’s what it is. I’m looking out for his best interest, long-term, and off-the-court stuff.

Because it has to be tough on him. He’s not just going to come out tell me, one day, ‘Man, I need to get out of there, I’m tired of losing.’ He’s not going to say that because he’s a competitor, and he signed up to be with those guys.

But for him, I just want him to be in a better situation for winning, and continue to get better. Which he is, and he’s going to do. The sky is the limit for him.

The good news is that Martin isn’t likely to become a free agent until the 2024 offseason, and by that point, Houston is likely to be fully committed to winning. The Rockets are positioned to have significant salary cap room in 2023, and since 2023-24 is the year that Houston’s future draft-pick obligations to Oklahoma City will kick back in, the Rockets will be heavily incentivized to pursue an organizational shift. Houston’s top young prospects, such as 2021-22 rookies Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun, will be much closer to their prime years, too.

Thus, the current dynamic is highly unlikely to be the case when Martin can actually become a free agent and potentially consider leaving the team. However, the words of his NBA-ex father do offer a cautionary tale regarding the psychological impact of losing seasons.

“When you look at teams like Milwaukee, Brooklyn, San Antonio, Miami, Phoenix, even New Orleans… how they approach the game and play, I would love for him to be in a situation where people approach every situation like that, and help their young guys get better,” Martin Sr. said.

“We’ll see what’s next, but as of right now, he’s in Houston for next year. It’s non-guaranteed, but whatever the deal is, he earns it. He puts the time in, works at his craft, and he cares about the end result — which is winning and losing, and getting better. He has a bright future.”

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Former Nets star Kenyon Martin sounds off on how Brooklyn won the Ben Simmons trade

“Brooklyn definitely got the better of the deal.”

The Brooklyn Nets are quickly approaching the end of the regular season, and we’ll soon learn whether the blockbuster James Harden-for-Ben Simmons trade worked out for both Brooklyn and Philadelphia during their respective playoff runs.

According to former Nets star Kenyon Martin, though, the Nets clearly received the better end of the deal.

In a discussion with Etan Thomas of Basketball News, Martin said that the 76ers gave the Nets multiple pieces that the team needed, and that unless Harden starts playing like an MVP, Philadelphia isn’t a championship-caliber team.

Via Basketball News:

“Harden is talented, but what has he won? So when it went down, my first thought was that Brooklyn got the better of that deal. I think Brooklyn got so much better with all the different pieces they now have. You have a motivated Ben Simmons, who is ready to prove to the world that he’s worthy of that No. 1 pick, and rub it in Philly’s face for how they blamed him after the playoffs last year. You get a drop-dead shooter in Seth Curry. And you put Ben Simmons in that scenario as a playmaker and surround him with two assassins in Kyrie and KD?”

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Nets legend Kenyon Martin questions why Sixers acquired James Harden

Brooklyn Nets legend Kenyon Martin is confused as to why the Philadelphia 76ers acquired James Harden.

The basketball world has to continue to give their takes and opinions on the Philadelphia 76ers now that they have acquired James Harden to team up with Joel Embiid. The Sixers gave up a king’s ransom with Ben Simmons as the centerpiece and there are some opinions that the Brooklyn Nets actually won the deal.

Simmons is an enigma at the moment, but there is reason to believe why he is a perfect fit in Brooklyn. He will not have to shoot as much or score often as he will just have to play his usual elite defense while setting up the likes of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving as they move forward with their plans.

Harden is the obvious better player, however, and there is reason to believe this is a win-win deal for both sides. However, Nets legend Kenyon Martin–with the then-New Jersey Nets–is confused why the Sixers even made the move for Harden.

Martin sat down with Etan Thomas over at Basketball News and the two of them had a conversation about the trade deadline moves. Martin said this about the Harden addition for Philadelphia:

Don’t get me wrong, Harden is talented, but what has he won? So when it went down my first thought was that Brooklyn got the better of that deal. I think Brooklyn got so much better with all the different pieces they now have. You have a motivated Ben Simmons, who is ready to prove to the world that he’s worthy of that number 1 pick, and rub it in Philly’s face for how they blamed him after the playoffs last year. You get a drop dead shooter in Seth Curry. And you put Ben Simmons in that scenario as a playmaker and surround him with two assassins in Kyrie and KD?

Martin does bring up some excellent points. Simmons’ obvious offensive limitations are not going to matter as much in Brooklyn due to the skill sets of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving and Harden has had some playoff failures in the past. Then, on the other hand, Simmons has not had a great playoff track record either.

This is all going to b very interesting to watch unfold as the season continues and goes down to the wire.

This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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Kenyon Martin Sr. had more nerves watching KJ Martin than as an NBA player

Kenyon Martin Sr. says that watching his son with the Houston Rockets is more nerve-wracking than anything from his playing career.

Kenyon Martin Sr. was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2000 NBA draft, and he played in an All-Star Game and the NBA Finals over a distinguished 15-year professional career. But he says he had more nerves watching his son, KJ Martin, with the Houston Rockets over this past season.

In an exclusive conversation with Rockets broadcaster Craig Ackerman, here’s what the elder Martin had to say about watching his son during the 2020-21 season — and how it compared to his nerves as a player.

Exciting, nerve-wracking at times. It was me wanting him to succeed so bad, and knowing the environment and everything that comes with it. The excitement (was) knowing that all the hard work that he’s put into it is just coming full circle for him now.

I’m definitely more nervous watching KJ play. For me, it was second nature going out there and doing it, just like it is for him. I was definitely more nervous watching him than any big-time games or free throws that I ever had to take.

Martin was selected in the second round of the 2020 NBA draft, with Houston securing his rights in a trade with the Sacramento Kings.

A 6-foot-6 forward, the younger Martin went on to average 9.3 points (50.9% FG, 36.5% on 3-pointers) and 5.4 rebounds in 23.7 minutes per game during his rookie season with the Rockets. Houston general manager Rafael Stone has already referred to the athletic 20-year-old as part of his team’s “young core” to build around in the years ahead.

The complete conversation between Ackerman and two generations of the Martin family can be watched below.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XU5Z7qV9S60

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QUIZ: How well do you know Nets draft history?

Test your knowledge of the Nets with our 10-question quiz about the team’s draft history.

The NBA draft is popular in part because it offers fans observers a glimpse into the future.

We get a chance to match wits with general managers by predicting which prospects are headed for greatness and which ones are bound to be busts. Like many teams, the Brooklyn Nets have gone through their share of ups and downs in the draft through the years — from Derrick Coleman and Kenyon Martin to Pearl Washington and Yinka Dare.

Of course, for every Kerry Kittles (507 career NBA games, including 496 with the Nets), there seems to be a Chris McCullough (only 59 career NBA games, including 38 with Nets).

With that in mind, Nets Wire presents a trivia quiz to test your knowledge of the team’s draft history:

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Rockets sign KJ Martin Jr. to four-year deal; first season guaranteed

Houston is using a portion of its Mid-Level Exception (MLE) to give the rookie a multi-year contract, as they did with Jae’Sean Tate.

Houston is signing rookie prospect KJ Martin Jr. to a four-year contract, with the first season fully guaranteed, per ESPN’s Tim MacMahon.

The Rockets, who are subject to a hard salary cap after signing-and-trading for Christian Wood, will be using a portion of their non-taxpayer mid-level exception (MLE) to give Martin the extended deal. Since they cannot use their MLE in full without exceeding the hard cap, it makes sense for them to use it in smaller portions (with extended years) to lock up young prospects, as they’ve done with Martin and Jae’Sean Tate.

Without using the MLE, any “minimum exception” contract offers — even if similar in annual value to MLE bids — would be limited to two years or less in length. By using the MLE, the Rockets are able to allow these prospects to develop within the organization over a longer period of time before they are able to unilaterally become free agents.

As for Martin specifically, the Rockets agreed to trade for the No. 52 pick in the NBA’s 2020 draft to select him. At 6-foot-6 and just 19 years old, Martin is projected to be athletic enough to play guard or forward. He’s the son of Kenyon Martin, the NBA’s No. 1 pick in the 2000 draft.

A three-star [high school] recruit from Sierra Canyon School in Los Angeles, Martin originally committed to play collegiately for Vanderbilt before opting for a postgraduate year at IMG Academy.

In the draft trade announcement, here’s how the team described him:

Martin (6-6, 215) was the 52nd overall pick by the Sacramento Kings in the 2020 NBA Draft. He spent last season with IMG Academy’s post-graduate team, which posted a 29-3 record, and averaged 19.6 points and 8.3 rebounds while shooting 69.1% from inside-the-arc.

The 19-year-old is the son of Kenyon Martin, who was the first overall pick in the 2000 NBA Draft. Martin Jr. attended Sierra Canyon School in California, where he was teammates with Scotty Pippen Jr. and Cassius Stanley, who was selected by Indiana with the 54th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.

Here’s Martin’s summary from the Rookie Wire big board:

Kenyon Martin Jr. tested well at the combine, recording a 3/4 sprint and max vert both well above-average for his position. Martin has been described as “arguably the best athlete in the draft” and he did much better on the shooting drills than many expected, shooting 71% in the 3-point endurance drill. The main thing that is holding him back is just his body of work.

Martin is already in Houston, and he will report to training camp later this week with the rest of the 2020-21 Rockets, with individual workouts slated to begin on Tuesday, Dec. 1. Due to COVID-19 testing protocols, the team’s group work doesn’t commence until Sunday. Dec. 6.

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