The Philadelphia 76ers brought back KJ Martin on a 2-year $16 million deal to continue to build the roster around their trio of stars. The Sixers still have some work to do, but to have Martin back is a nice move at this stage of the offseason.
On the one hand, the Sixers have another bench piece on the roster and somebody who is familiar with coach Nick Nurse’s offense. He will be a useful player for Nurse and the Sixers on the floor.
On the other hand, Martin can also be used in a trade down the line.
Philadelphia appears to have signed Martin to something called a “balloon deal” which is a short-term contract with an average annual value higher than his actual market. With all due respect to Martin, this is a deal above the market and could be included in a deal.
Per capologist Yossi Gozlan, the Sixers can move Martin on Jan. 15.
KJ Martin will become trade eligible on January 15.
One way the Sixers could utilize his $8 million salary is by aggregating him with multiple minimum players around the trade deadline for a player earning more.
They’ll be over the first apron once they fill out the roster, so… https://t.co/7WUxffuBLr
— Yossi Gozlan (@YossiGozlan) July 12, 2024
In the meantime, Martin is a superb athlete and somebody who works his tail off to improve as a player. He will continue to grow as a youngster in this league and will look to take steps forward with more playing time.