Trade Countdown! The Rockets' 27 points, 10 rebounds forward drew trade interest from multiple teams in the NBA, possibly at the expense of a bench center or draft pick.
According to Sports and basketball league insider Michael Scott reported On Saturday, the Rockets are preparing to put the team's bench forward in the trading market, and many teams have aroused interest after receiving a trade request from Houston.
With the Rockets' excess of players in the frontcourt and the abundance of talent in the big forwards, not only rookies Jabari Smith Jr., Tarry Ethan and Jeshaun Tate, but also Garuba, Fernando, etc., Martin Jr. doesn't seem to have much playing time next season.
In an effort to gain more playing time in his third year in the NBA, bench forward Kenjan Martin Jr. has been in contact with Houston Rockets management early in the offseason to discuss the possibility of a trade with another team.
As of early August, the trading situation had not yet occurred. But with the Rockets adding two potential first-round rookies to the 2022 draft: Jabaly Smith Jr. and Tarry Ethan. The Rockets are starting to think about how to trade Martin Jr. for some solid assets, the 21-year-old may have very little rotation time, and a trade could be the best option.
So, according to Michael Scott's report yesterday, because Martin Jr. still has two seasons left on a contract and is relatively inexpensive, he played 22 minutes in each game in both seasons for the Rockets, averaging 9 points per game (shooting 52.4% from the field and 36.0% from three-point range) and 3.8 rebounds.
Martin Jr. made his start 39 minutes against the Jazz on May 9, 2021, scoring 27 points and 10 rebounds, setting a new NBA career single-game scoring record. It can be seen that if Martin Jr. can get enough playing time, he has the ability to play a powerful data.
For general manager Rafael Stone, trading Martin Jr. would require a potential player or future draft picks. If there is a team willing to offer a trade chip, Martin Jr. can be immediately put on the negotiating table.
On the other hand, with the 2022-23 training camp report still a few weeks away, teams trying to finalize the roster before the training camp, it could be wise to trade Martin Jr.
From the Houston Rockets' perspective, with a rather large lineup of young guards and forwards, it is hoped to trade Martin Jr. for a future draft pick or substitute center. Finally, I also hope that Martin Jr. will go all the way and continue his NBA development journey.
