The Philadelphia 76ers have been highly active this offseason, making significant moves to keep them in contention throughout a rugged Eastern Conference.
They made some splashes this summer, including signing Paul George and other big names like Caleb Martin, Andre Drummond, and Eric Gordon. They drafted Jared McCain out of Duke, one of the best names in college basketball last season, and they resigned Kyle Lowry and Tyrese Maxey.
Now ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Sixers’ latest move is resigning KJ Martin to a two-year deal worth $16 million.
KJ Martin’s Career
It was expected that Martin would re-sign. The franchise owns his bird rights, which made it easy to retain the young forward. He made enough of an impression on Nick Nurse and the 76ers’ front office last season whenever he stepped on the court.
“He’s got a unique skill set — underneath the basket, cutting,” Nurse said in February. “He’s obviously a guy we can throw a lob to. We can play some screen-and-roll with him as well as a roller. Because of his athleticism, he can offensive rebound a bit.”
Martin, the son of NBA legend Kenyon Martin, was acquired from the Los Angeles Clippers in the James Harden trade. Last season, he averaged 3.7 points and 2.2 rebounds in 58 games and two starts for the Sixers.
Despite the rather underwhelming numbers, he has managed to carve out a role for himself throughout his time in Philly, stepping in as a quality role player whenever his number was called, thriving as a small-ball center, and playing some big minutes when all-star Joel Embiid was out.
It makes sense as it gives the roster another quality big to play alongside Embiid or some backup minutes; the 6’6 forward has always flashed immense potential throughout his first three seasons as a Rocket or Clipper.
Philadelphia 76ers Next Season
The Philadelphia 76ers have a new mindset coming into the 2024-25 season. With their latest additions, the team will look to establish itself as a top contender in a loaded Eastern Conference and hope they’ll be competing for the championship come June.
It’s no secret that the 76ers have failed to get it done in the postseason, with their recent collapse coming at the hands of the New York Knicks.
To make matters worse, Sixers star, Joel Embiid has dealt with a number if injuries over the last couple of years, which have contributed to the Sixers’ postseason meltdowns. Last season, he dealt with a nagging knee injury that took him out for most of last year.
It’s clear that the intention is to bring another championship to Philadelphia,something their rival, the Boston Celtics, has already done this season, winning their first since 2008. They will have to compete with an improved Knicks squad, which added Mikal Bridges to their core that won 50 games last season, and the Milwaukee Bucks, who will be looking to bounce back from last season’s disappointment.
It should be interesting to see what the Philadelphia 76ers do next to improve their team’s chances of winning a championship.
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