KJ Martin available?
In talks with teams, the Rockets have maintained their stance that they aren’t looking to trade anyone from their core — including top-five picks in Jalen Green and Jabari Smith Jr. and lottery picks Alperen Şengün and Tari Eason. Elsewhere, there has been interest in 22-year-old forward KJ Martin, sources say, with his combination of age and upside still intriguing to rival NBA teams and deemed attainable internally for the right price.
Source: Kelly Iko @ The Athletic
Source: Kelly Iko @ The Athletic
More on this storyline
CAA Basketball: We are excited to welcome @KJ Martin to the CAA family! -via Twitter / June 20, 2023
Kelly Iko: KJ’s situation is tricky. When you look at Houston’s perspective, they have most of the leverage. They don’t have to be rushed into anything. If they picked up the fourth year, they can always do that and then extend him during the season. Their priority is their cap space this summer. If they decline it and he’s restricted, the onus is on the marketplace, and where can he get the money from? He’d prefer to get paid now, given the year he’s coming off. The future is unknown. Even with the new TV deal and the cap going up, and he could make more theoretically next year, you never know what could happen. If he wants to get paid now, can he find a sign-and-trade somewhere? There are a few teams that have kept interest in him, like Dallas, the Clippers, and Phoenix, that still like KJ Martin. -via HoopsHype / June 13, 2023
Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson: Rockets are happy to have Ime Udoka as their new head coach notes Houston swingman KJ Martin. “I’m excited,” Martin told @BallySports . “We talked a little bit. I’m probably going to get with him again in LA.” -via Twitter / May 4, 2023