The Sixers have agreed to a two-year deal worth $16 million with free agent wing KJ Martin, according to a report from ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
Back in June, I wrote about several recent instances in which the Sixers have been unable to maximize their ability to improve their roster via midseason trade due to a lack of medium-sized contracts. I proposed a potential solution: giving Martin a "balloon" deal -- a short-term contract with an average annual value higher than his actual market with -- so that his inflated salary can be used to help facilitate a trade down the line. A source with knowledge of the team's thinking told PhillyVoice at the time the concept was under consideration, and now they have done it.
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Martin spent the first three years of his NBA career with the Houston Rockets after being selected No. 52 overall in 2020 before being dealt to the Los Angeles Clippers, where he was hoping to establish himself as a surefire rotation player. Martin only logged 32 minutes as a member of the Clippers, though, as he was sent to the Sixers in the James Harden trade in short order.
In 58 games (two starts) with the Sixers, Martin played 12.3 minutes per game and posted averages of 3.7 points and 2.2 rebounds. He did have a few extended stretches in which he received consistent playing time and took advantage of it, including a 15-game span between January and February in which he played just over 20 minutes per game and averaged 6.7 points and 3.8 rebounds per contest.
Martin's off-the-charts athleticism and impressive strength will continue to net him opportunities. The question is how his offensive utility develops over time.
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