Mavericks Interested in Acquiring 22-Year-Old $6 Million Forward: Report

Getty Jae'Sean Tate, Pascal Siakam and Kenyon Martin Jr.

The Dallas Mavericks are interested in acquiring a 22-year-old $6 million forward.

Kelly Iko of The Athletic told Michael Scotto of HoopsHype that the Mavericks are one of the teams that have kept interest in Houston Rockets swingman Kenyon Martin Jr., who has a non-guaranteed salary for next season.

If the Rockets decline Martin Jr.’s salary, he would become a restricted free agent this offseason. If Houston guarantees his salary, the son of former NBA star Kenyon Martin would be eligible for unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2024.

“KJ’s situation is tricky,” Iko said. “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.”

Martin Jr. averaged 12.7 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 2022-23 while shooting 56.9% from the field, 31.5% from beyond the arc and 68.0% from the free-throw line. The California native signed a four-year, $6.1 million contract with the Rockets in November 2020.

Martin Jr. has career averages of 10.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists.

The Mavericks Have Been Urged to Re-Sign Kyrie Irving

The Mavericks have been urged to re-sign All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving this offseason.

Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report believes Dallas should bring Irving back next season. The Duke product becomes an unrestricted free agent this offseason.

“The Dallas Mavericks took a real gamble when they sent out a first-round draft pick as part of a trade to land someone who’d enter unrestricted free agency the following summer,” Bailey wrote. “If Kyrie Irving walks, the Mavs will be out a rotation player (Spencer Dinwiddie), their best perimeter defender (Dorian Finney-Smith), the aforementioned first and multiple second-round picks for nothing. Yes, Kyrie was good (probably even great) for the few months he was a Maverick, but he hasn’t even been in the playoffs with them. Re-signing him is imperative.”

Irving averaged 27.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists in 20 games with the Mavericks in 2022-23. Even though the Mavs didn’t even qualify for the play-in tournament despite having Irving and Luka Doncic, Dallas would like to bring Irving back.

“I hear he’s going back to Dallas on a 3+1 [a player option on the fourth year]. His contract will line up [identically] with Luka’s,” one player agent told Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus.

The Mavericks Need to Acquire a Long-Term Big

Bailey thinks the Mavericks need to acquire a long-term big this offseason as well.

“The Mavericks need a good pick-and-roll partner for Luka (and hopefully Kyrie),” Bailey wrote. “Christian Wood seemingly could’ve been that, but he was jerked around by his role (or lack thereof) to the degree it’s hard to imagine him coming back. Dwight Powell is aging into his 30s and is a few years removed from a ruptured Achilles. JaVale McGee is 35. And Maxi Kleber is more of a floor-spacing forward.

“If Dallas can land a rim-running big who can provide value for more than the next year, it’ll be in better shape.”