Tag: Kenyon Martin Jr.

Rockets launch new promotion with KJ Martin, Kenyon Martin Sr.

The elder Martin never played for Houston during his 15 NBA seasons, but he’s forming a closer relationship now that his son plays there.

The Rockets are introducing a new ticketing and marketing promotion involving young forward KJ Martin (officially named Kenyon Martin Jr.) and former NBA player Kenyon Martin Sr., who happens to be his father. The younger Martin just finished up his rookie season in Houston.

As part of a Father’s Day four-pack promotion, fans can acquire tickets to four games at Toyota Center and participate in a Zoom call with both father and son for as low as $99, depending on desired seat locations. The tickets are for contests in the upcoming 2021-22 regular season.

The most noteworthy part of the promotion is the inclusion of Martin Sr., the No. 1 overall pick from the NBA’s 2000 draft and an All-Star in 2004. Over 15 NBA seasons, he averaged 12.3 points (48.3% FG), 6.8 rebounds, and 1.9 assists in 30.6 minutes per game. He played for five franchises — never the Rockets — but he seems to be interested in having some sort of post-playing career role in Houston, now that his son plays there.

Now 43 years old, it remains to be seen if Martin Sr. will have any sort of “official” involvement with the Rockets beyond the new Father’s Day promotion. But for a franchise seeking to rebuild after finishing the 2020-21 season with the league’s worst record, having a former NBA All-Star as a vocal supporter and promoter certainly can’t hurt.

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Here is the projected rotation for the Rockets after trading James Harden

The Houston Rockets traded away 2018 NBA MVP James Harden in a blockbuster deal. But what will the new version of this team look like?

The Houston Rockets traded away 2018 NBA MVP James Harden in a blockbuster deal. But what will the new version of this team look like?

Under first-year head coach Stephen Silas, Houston will run their offense through John Wall and Christian Wood. They will also incorporate two-time NBA All-Star Victor Oladipo, who was acquired from the Indiana Pacers in the deal as well.

Overall, this move was more focused on the future than the present, as the Rockets landed a total of four unprotected first-rounders and four unprotected pick swaps.

There were also immediate financial implications considering, as noted by our own Yossi Gozlan, Houston went from $5.2 million over the luxury tax to $3.7 million under the tax. Houston can also generate a traded player exception worth $10.7 million if they want to continue tweaking this roster, per Gozlan.

Below, however, as what the rotation looks like for the Rockets after trading away their longtime superstar:

Here is the projected rotation for the Rockets after trading James Harden

The Houston Rockets traded away 2018 NBA MVP James Harden in a blockbuster deal. But what will the new version of this team look like?

The Houston Rockets traded away 2018 NBA MVP James Harden in a blockbuster deal. But what will the new version of this team look like?

Under first-year head coach Stephen Silas, Houston will run their offense through John Wall and Christian Wood. They will also incorporate two-time NBA All-Star Victor Oladipo, who was acquired from the Indiana Pacers in the deal as well.

Overall, this move was more focused on the future than the present, as the Rockets landed a total of four unprotected first-rounders and four unprotected pick swaps.

There were also immediate financial implications considering, as noted by our own Yossi Gozlan, Houston went from $5.2 million over the luxury tax to $3.7 million under the tax. Houston can also generate a traded player exception worth $10.7 million if they want to continue tweaking this roster, per Gozlan.

Below, however, as what the rotation looks like for the Rockets after trading away their longtime superstar:

Media Day highlights: K.J. Martin, David Nwaba, and Ben McLemore

Here are the key storylines from Friday’s interviews (Ben McLemore, David Nwaba, K.J. Martin) at Houston Rockets training camp.

Friday’s interviewees from Houston Rockets training camp were swingman David Nwaba, guard Ben McLemore, and rookie K.J. Martin.

For Nwaba, it was his first interview session since signing with the Rockets in June. Now 27 years old, the 6-foot-5 defensive stopper detailed his ongoing recovery from a torn Achilles, adding that he expects to be ready for the start of the NBA’s 2020-21 season later this month.

For Martin, Friday’s chat was the 19-year-old’s first media availability since being drafted at No. 52 overall. The 6-foot-6 prospect, whose father is Kenyon Martin (an accomplished player and the No. 1 pick in 2000), offered candid thoughts on the role of his NBA lineage; transitioning to the league; and his potential role with the Rockets in the years ahead.

Meanwhile, McLemore shared perspective on how he plans to build off his breakthrough season of 2019-20 — when he led the NBA’s most aggressive team from 3-point range with a 40.0% clip on 3-pointers.

From Twitter, here’s a roundup of the key takeaways from Friday’s media sessions at Toyota Center. The Rockets are still in the “individual workouts” phase of training camp, but they will transition to full group practices on Sunday. All players are expected to be in attendance and available to play at that time, per head coach Stephen Silas.

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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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Rockets announce trade for KJ Martin Jr., son of Kenyon Martin

The Rockets announced their trade for 19-year-old prospect KJ Martin Jr., who is the son of former NBA forward Kenyon Martin.

The Houston Rockets on Wednesday announced their trade for KJ Martin Jr., an athletic 19-year-old prospect drafted at No. 52 overall in the 2020 draft. Martin is the son of Kenyon Martin, the NBA’s No. 1 pick in 2000.

To acquire the guard/forward, the team is giving up cash considerations and a 2021 second-round pick from the Los Angeles Lakers.

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 team’s announcement, here’s how the Rockets describe 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 spoke with Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston after the trade was made official on Wednesday. While he said he felt pressure in his younger days from his family name, he has recently used it to his benefit.

“When I was younger I felt pressure, but now I take it as an advantage,” Martin told Berman. “He knows the game very well. So I feel like I have that step on a lot of other guys in this draft this year.” Martin clarified that he goes by KJ, rather than Kenyon (his father’s name), to avoid confusion. “I’m kind of my own person,” he commented in the interview.

Martin said that some of his father’s close friends in the NBA, including Chauncey Billups, Carmelo Anthony, JR Smith, and Allen Iverson, had helped in his basketball development. In all, the elder Martin had a long and distinguished career over 15 professional seasons.

Financial terms for Martin’s contract were not disclosed, but he is believed to be making the NBA’s minimum salary.

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Rockets acquire second-round draft pick, select Kenyon Martin Jr.

Known as KJ Martin, he’s the son of Kenyon Martin, who was selected No. 1 overall in the 2000 NBA draft and played in the NBA for 15 years.

The Houston Rockets acquired the No. 52 pick in the second round of Wednesday’s NBA draft from the Sacramento Kings to select Kenyon Martin Jr., an athletic 6-foot-6 prospect who is just 19 years old.

Known as KJ Martin, he’s the son of Kenyon Martin, who was selected first overall in the 2000 draft and played in the NBA for 15 years.

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.

Here’s his 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.

Houston traded a 2021 second-round pick and cash considerations to acquire Martin from the Kings, according to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon. The Rockets began the night with the No. 16 selection in the first round, as well, but it was traded to Detroit for a future first rounder.

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2020 NBA aggregate mock draft 8.0: Draft day ranges for top prospects

The 2020 NBA draft is fairly unpredictable and prospects have wider ranges in where they could get selected when it is all said and done. 

The 2020 NBA draft is fairly unpredictable and prospects have wider ranges in where they could get selected when it is all said and done.

We looked at mock drafts from NBADraft.net, ESPN, The Athletic, Bleacher Report, CBS Sports, The Ringer, Stadium, SI.com, USA TODAY Sports Media Group’s Rookie Wire, USA Today and Yahoo to give us a more clear understanding of consensus rankings and projections.

This also provided context for realistic high-end and low-end predictions for the players most often included in mock drafts.

Please note that the range included for each player is not based on our own reporting or intel and it only reflects the data pulled from the various mock drafts.

The full list of our latest aggregate mock draft rankings can be found here. HoopsHype’s Alberto de Roa contributed research to this report.

2020 NBA aggregate mock draft 8.0: Draft day ranges for top prospects

The 2020 NBA draft is fairly unpredictable and prospects have wider ranges in where they could get selected when it is all said and done. 

The 2020 NBA draft is fairly unpredictable and prospects have wider ranges in where they could get selected when it is all said and done.

We looked at mock drafts from NBADraft.net, ESPN, The Athletic, Bleacher Report, CBS Sports, The Ringer, Stadium, SI.com, USA TODAY Sports Media Group’s Rookie Wire, USA Today and Yahoo to give us a more clear understanding of consensus rankings and projections.

This also provided context for realistic high-end and low-end predictions for the players most often included in mock drafts.

Please note that the range included for each player is not based on our own reporting or intel and it only reflects the data pulled from the various mock drafts.

The full list of our latest aggregate mock draft rankings can be found here. HoopsHype’s Alberto de Roa contributed research to this report.

2020 aggregate NBA mock draft 5.0: International prospects are rising

Scouting and preparing for the upcoming 2020 NBA Draft is incredibly challenging due to circumstances surrounding the coronavirus pandemic.

Scouting and preparing for the upcoming 2020 NBA draft is incredibly challenging due to circumstances surrounding the coronavirus pandemic.

As always, we examine the mock drafts from the most trusted analysts to give us the best idea of a consensus for what the upcoming class will look like in June. The latest 2020 NBA mock drafts from experts at ESPN, CBS Sports, SI.com, Bleacher Report, NBADraft.net, The Athletic, SB Nation, Sporting News and USA Today Sports Media Group’s Rookie Wire were used for these rankings.

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Currently, the first three players expected to be selected (Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, James Wiseman) have remained in the exact same order for the third aggregate mock draft in a row.

After dropping from No. 5 all the way to No. 11 between December and January, Maccabi Tel Aviv forward Deni Avdija has jumped back to No. 4 for this version.

He played well recently at the 2020 Eurobasket Qualifiers, scoring 21 points with eight rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal while also shooting 3-for-6 from beyond the arc. This was a welcome change of pace for scouts hoping to learn as much as possible about Avdija as he had averaged just 4.0 points in 14.3 minutes in Euroleague games earlier this season.

Several other prospects playing overseas have seen their stock increase as well. This makes some sense considering many in the NCAA rely on their performance in March Madness to solidify their draft position whereas the international players gain momentum in other ways.

Killian Hayes, who was ranked No. 18 overall on our last aggregate mock draft, jumped up to No. 8 for this edition. The 6-foot-5 guard was 14-for-61 (39 percent) from 3-point range while also connecting on 90.9 percent of his free-throw attempts during Eurocup action. Several outlets are currently projecting him as a Top 5 pick in the 2020 NBA draft.

Another prospect playing outside of the United States but currently making waves is Leandro Bolmaro. He debuted on our aggregate mock draft in the most recent edition before this one but has jumped all the way to No. 29 this time around.

Meanwhile, in the NCAA, some college basketball players managed to make some serious momentum for themselves before the season was unexpectedly cut short. Some of those players are seniors Killian Tillie (Gonzaga), Grant Riller (Charleston), Udoka Azubuike (Kansas) and Desmond Bane (TCU).

As mentioned here, it makes sense for upperclassmen to be more appealing in this class than in previous years. Seniors have far more game film to draw film which may be necessary considering individual team workouts and even the 2020 NBA Draft Combine may be canceled. Plus, older players are likely more ready to contribute immediately.

On the flip side, there are freshmen around the country who have seen their draft stock drastically decline in recent months.

Oregon’s N’Faly Dante has fallen off our boards completely after playing just twelve games and making no appearances in the starting lineup. Kahlil Whitney, who was considered a lottery pick when we did this exercise in October 2019, also dropped off after withdrawing from Kentucky.

Some other freshmen who saw their draft stock fall: Duke’s Matthew Hurt was ranked No. 16 overall back in October but is now at No. 76 overall. LSU’s Trendon Watford was ranked No. 14 in October but has fallen to No. 63. Florida’s Scottie Lewis was No. 9 in July and is currently No. 53 overall.

Less drastic but still valid: Arizona’s Nico Mannion has fallen from No. 6 back in January 2020 all the way to No. 16 now in April. Likewise, UNC’s Cole Anthony dropped from No. 2 back in July 2019 to No. 10 in our new study.

But some encouraging news for prospects who were considered Top-25 recruits coming out of high school but had a disappointing freshman year (e.g. Duke’s Wendell Moore as well as the aforementioned Dante, Whitney, Watford, Hurt and Lewis) can be found in Kentucky’s Immanuel Quickley.

The 6-foot-3 guard was the No. 13 overall recruit in the nation coming into Kentucky as a freshman. But after averaging just 5.2 points as a freshman, he returned for his sophomore campaign.

Fortunately, the SEC Player of the Year dramatically improved his draft stock in 2019-20. His season was highlighted by 21.3 points per game in February and a free throw percentage (92.3%) that ranked as the sixth-best among all underclassmen. This month, he debuted on our aggregate mock draft at No. 42 overall.

HoopsHype’s Alberto de Roa contributed research to this report.

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