Kevin Martin is a STUD

[meh]

I want to make a change-of-pace thread on a player that really people has forgotten.

Maybe it's just me, but I'm really psyched to see how Martin would play next year. I also think that if Yao's healthy and/or we get Bosh, Martin could quickly make a Gasol-type jump where people start to notice how good he is. It's pretty ridiculous how much he just flies under the radar.

I mean, just look at how he stacks up with Joe Johnson. Johnson is wide reputed as the 3rd or 4th best FA on the market behind Lebron, Wade, and maybe Bosh. He is also widely believed to deserve the max, and likely will get it. Yet is JJ a better player than Martin?

I know it's not the most perfect stat in the world, but here are the PERs for Johnson and Martin the past 3 years.

Johnson: 17.3, 18.2, 19.3
Martin: 21.0, 19.2, 17.0

So why the close PER comparison despite the general sentiment that Johnson is a much better player? The reason is simple, JJ simply is not a great shooter. He's somewhat of a chucker. And since he doesn't go to the line much, he needs THREE more shots than Martin to average about the same points. And 3 extra bricks means 3+ points wasted every game(points per shot for every NBA team is slightly higher than 1). 3 extra points is about 7 wins in a season.

Yes, Johnson can rebound a little better... but not to the point where it actually matters for a SG. Johnson is also a better passer. But he's not anywhere near Lebron's field vision. As for defense, Atlanta has always been mediocre in this area, and why they aren't really thought of as true contenders. Johnson may be a better defender, but he's not anywhere close to being an impact defender. All of these make up for the lack of shooting, but doesn't put him over Martin as a total package.

Johnson's also been more durable, but he's also been in the league for 9 years, while Martin's just entering his prime. So IMO that

Yet, one will get the max and potentially be considered a savior for a team, and the other is considered almost an afterthought. Had Morey brought in Joe Johnson at the trade deadline, I'm sure the entire board would just blow up and think we're going to contend next year. But that's not how Morey does business. He goes for the players under the radar, and these players will blossom under Adelman.

[elJEFEutexas]

Originally Posted by meh But that's not how Morey does business. He goes for the players under the radar, and these players will blossom under Adelman.

exactly. Adelman needs team players who can move without the basketball, not iso players who just beat people with athleticism.

Hopefully Yaozer can come back and contribute and all of these "under the radar" guys will blow up.

[BaMcMing]

Well put. Especially your opinion on how Morey works and the boards reaction if we got JJ. Couldn't agree more.

I for one am thrilled that Martin is a Rocket. (And I hope he spends all summer working on his D)

[Jontro]

Originally Posted by elJEFEutexas Hopefully Yaozer can come back and contribute and all of these "under the radar" guys will blow up.

I thought about this for a second. So basically these under-the-radar guys who are "underpaid" according to their true value to Morey, will blow up when Yao gets back.

If that's true, then come contract negotiation time, pretty much all these guys (as seen before in Mandry and possibly Scola and Lowry) will demand higher pay or go to a team that'll give them starters minutes.

This would mean Morey would always need to be on top of his game to consistently find "gems" every season to replace guys that think their value is much higher and leave.

[kmav23]

no homo

[meh]

Originally Posted by Jontro I thought about this for a second. So basically these under-the-radar guys who are "underpaid" according to their true value to Morey, will blow up when Yao gets back. If that's true, then come contract negotiation time, pretty much all these guys (as seen before in Mandry and possibly Scola and Lowry) will demand higher pay or go to a team that'll give them starters minutes. This would mean Morey would always need to be on top of his game to consistently find "gems" every season to replace guys that think their value is much higher and leave.

Pretty much, but that's why he gets paid the big bucks. And it's not as if the Rockets have to let EVERY nice player go. Scola will get his payday with us. So will Lowry. The NBA has a soft cap, so we're not exactly the A's where every all-star go elsewhere for their paydays.

The reason I mentioned this about Morey is because perceived superstars just aren't available often. So he takes what he can get.

[RocketsMAN!]

Originally Posted by Jontro This would mean Morey would always need to be on top of his game to consistently find "gems" every season to replace guys that think their value is much higher and leave.

Not if they win a ring in the next few years

[Commodore]

Martin really hasn't had an opportunity to play with a big like Yao that attracts defenses.

I think he has the potential to have a breakout year.

[rockets934life]

If Yao can be a 15 and 10 guy who draws a consistent double teams, Martin will avg 22 to 25 a night.

[robbie380]

i really wish this kid would bulk up some over the offseason. just 10 lbs would be a nice start. i think he was never really healthy this year and i do think he will shine if we have yao or bosh. however, his health and weak frame really worries me. he has only played in 64% of the games in the past 3 years. the guy should be in his athletic prime, but he can't stay healthy. i just don't understand why the guy won't bulk up at all. i know he has a workout program....but what in the world are they doing in that program since he is still as slight and weak as he is?

[junshao]

Originally Posted by meh I know it's not the most perfect stat in the world, but here are the PERs for Johnson and Martin the past 3 years. Johnson: 17.3, 18.2, 19.3 Martin: 21.0, 19.2, 17.0 [/I]

The worrying thing about these two lines though, is that JJ's no. has been going up whereas Martin's has gone down.

[Carl Herrera]

Funny I overlooked the letter "U" in the topic.

[T-Slack]

OP do me favor. Look how many games you were out of the playoffs before and after Martin joined the team. K, thanks

[robbie380]

Originally Posted by junshao The worrying thing about these two lines though, is that JJ's no. has been going up whereas Martin's has gone down.

the thing that worries me more is his games played has gone down from 61 to 51 to 46 in that time span as well.


CARL HERRERA CAN U SEND OUR STuD MARTIN SUM PROTEIN SHAKES???

[mikol13]

Yeah totally dig Martin's play as a Rocket, I think it will only improve in time. Though I am down for trading anyone if it makes the team better, I don't understand why people are so quick to want to get rid of him, seeing as he's the perfect fit to the system being ran.

[sealclubber1016]

The Rockets are gonna be close to unstoppable offensively next year. But defensively what i saw at the end of the year scared me. If Yao stays healthy it will help a lot but Brooks and Martin have to play better defense.

[CGroveStapleton]

I trust in Morey to find the most efficient player, and Kevin Martin back in his natural habitat playing in a fluid offense with a legitimate low-post threat will only increase his beast power ten fold!

Looking forward to Brooks playing more of a Rondo roll within the offense while the cornerstones Martin and Bosh drop in buckets from all over the place, aided by top notch role players.

Here we come.

[MrButtocks]

Joe Johnson doesn't deserve the max. And if it's a given that he gets it then he's overrated. However, he is easily a more complete player than Martin. He's better in iso situations, he sees the floor better, and can handle PG duties. Most importantly, he's better on defense.

Martin's a great pure scorer. Johnson's closer to a star.

[LongTimeFan]

Sometimes stats can be deceiving. No way in hell is Martin as good as Joe Johnson.

Martin puts up stats throughout the game.. he can get a "quiet" twenty points relatively easy. While this is a statician's dream, to be efficient in his shots, you have to look at the whole picture.

Kevin Martin is not getting the ball in his hands for the last shot of the game. He's not a guy you can reliably go-to play after play. He picks his spots and does a good job of drawing contact and shooting free throws, but he's not a guy who can carry you. Joe Johnson is that guy.

If my team had the ball with 10 seconds left, I'd want the ball in Joe Johnson's hands over Kevin Martins. To me, that says it all.

[b2bizchina]

Martin's D is Zero!! He cann't defend anyone!