Getty The Warriors are rumored to have targeted Kenyon Martin Jr.
Before adding future Hall of Fame point guard Chris Paul via trade, the Golden State Warriors were pursing former Houston Rockets forward KJ Martin, according to a July 11 report from Anthony Slater of The Athletic.
Martin, who was subsequently traded to the Los Angeles Clippers, is an ascending young star in the NBA. The son of former Nets forward Kenyon Martin, KJ just completed his third season in the league.
“The Warriors explored the idea of trading for KJ Martin early in the free agency process,” Slater wrote, adding: “The Rockets were rearranging their roster and made the athletic young wing available via trade. He eventually landed with the Clippers for two second-round picks. The Warriors could have fit him on the roster through the trade exception created when Patrick Baldwin Jr. was sent to Washington, but discussions never reached the final stages.”
KJ Martin Is Coming Off a Career Year
Kenyon Martin Jr. is a Clipper. 😤
Martin, 22, was a second-round pick for Houston in 2020. He spent three years with the Rockets, starting just 10 games over his first two years with the team. His role changed last season, when he played in all 82 games and started 49. He averaged 28 minutes a game and had career-highs in points scored (12.7), rebounds (5.5) and assists (1.5), also shooting a career best 56.9% from the field (stats from Basketball Reference).
Considering his on-court improvements, it’s not difficult to see why the Warriors would be interested in the young forward. Instead, he landed in L.A., who sent a pair of second rounders to Houston in exchange for him.
Over his three seasons with Houston, Martin played in 206 regular season games and averaged 10.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists. He also made 54.5% of his 2-point shots and and 34% of his attempts from distance. Golden State would have gotten a solid and athletic player in Martin, but he will likely get the chance to start more in L.A. than he would with the Dubs.
Dubs Still Looking to Add Size in Free Agency, GM Says
When meeting with the media on July 11, Warriors new general manager, Mike Dunleavy Jr., revealed that his team is still looking to fill one particular void on its roster.
“I think we’re going to add somebody with some size, but we have to be careful with the way we play, the way the league works,” Dunleavy said. “Just bringing in somebody that’s tall — you have to be skilled, you have to know how to play. I think we’ve learned that over the past few years. So we’ll always prioritize that but the taller and longer a player is, the better.”
Golden State recently added 6-foot-10 big man Dario Šarić, and Slater thinks Oklahoma City Thunder forward Rudy Gay is also a possibility.
“Somebody has to shake loose before the start of the season,” Slater wrote. “Gay has $6.5 million left on an expiring deal and doesn’t fit the Thunder’s timeline. He seems like a cut candidate and is someone the Warriors have had interest in the past. He’s a name to monitor.”
We’ll see what happens, but clearly, the Dubs aren’t done making moves.