Kenyon Martin is starting to make his son look bad in Lavar Ball style. If KJ really feels this way then he's straight being greedy. Demanding to be a starter when he's getting regular rotation minutes which is more than most of the players drafted only 2 years ago.
There was no risk. It’s already been widely reported that Stone rejected multiple first-round pick offers for Gordon last season. Trading an aging Gordon at his highest peak is asset management 101. Hell, common sense 101. But hey, vet presence and family vibes baby!
I see a path forward for KJM where he could look a lot like Richard Jefferson if he works hard smoothing out some of the rough edges. No guarantees, obviously, but I don't think "the whole package" with KMJ indicates he's locked into being "just another guy", the way some of the detractors seem to be assuming. Maybe the fact that we have so many other young guys means Martin gets sort of lost in the reflected light from our other guys with bright futures. Also, all things being equal, you'd rather have a guy with too much personal ambition than a guy with little-to-none. That desire for more is what motivates you to work in the offseason.
KJ seems like a fine player - does everything he can, but ultimately he is between positions in todays NBA. I mean the bottom line is KJ doesn’t have the skill set of guys of his size so he is kind of in a no man’s land where he plays like a big but is the size of a guard. I mean he is on the edge, but he is still fighting an uphill battle where he is too small for his natural position and too unskilled for the position he would play based on his size. Richard Jefferson is a good comp but I think in reality Richard Jefferson could dribble the ball and create off the dribble way more than KJ. In short he had guard skills that KJ doesn’t have. As many others have said - a player of his size and skill set is just not a starter in this league. He is good on this roster, but it’s also one of the worst teams in the league so his mileage and value varies quite a bit.
What a shitshow. Thanks stone for keeping EG like he’s a vintage bottle of wine… just wow. thanks Silas for playing Mathews, Tate and other scrubs over KJ and Josh lol. We need to see what we have but instead we are a Rebuilding team trying to develop 28 and 33 yr olds instead of taking advantage of the last full rebuilding year due to the OKC pick next year. Bottom Line: the minutes at the 3 should be Tari and KJ primarily.
This should never have come out this early. Playing is one thing, negotiation for a better contract or better situation is another and regular fans shouldn't know about it because they would never see it from the perspective of the respective player. Kenyon senior is just fighting for his son but he shouldn't have to do it that hard. All this leaking by journalists other than announcing a successful trade isn't helpful, the opposite.
Kawhi and Cade are two others with overly involved family members just making a racket. KJ is in a good spot just needs to shut up and keep doing what he's doing. Not in a position to be demanding a starting role or anything like that. Just earn it kid.
The more I see of Eason, the more lost he looks. He's also got bad tunnel vision when he's going to the basket. Don't get me wrong I'm still a big fan of his and am glad we drafted him, but earlier in the year I was looking at him as the potential starter. Now? Not so much. High energy, low awareness guys, in general, are better suited for the bench.
Well the good thing is the Rockets can bide their time, because Martin should still be improving, and also he’s on a very team friendly deal. No need to negotiate down on an asking price, if the return isn’t what you want. If Martin wants to sabotage his career, well that “play with fire and intensity” button isn’t a light switch you can easily turn back on once you turn it off.
Playing time should be earned in practice. I guess that is what any good coach does. Only guy who didn’t win over his coaches in practice was Allen Iverson. Frankly I don’t follow the intricacies of the Rockets as much as I used to, but if they aren’t playing as many minutes as they want to, maybe they aren’t earning those minutes in practice in the eyes of the coaching staff. Kobe Bryant, (God rest his soul), lead by example and he practiced with more hunger than even the fringe NBA guys who were tethering on even making the cut to be on an NBA team. If the Owner and GM think Silas is not playing his rotation fairly, I’m sure they’d be looking at alternative options and getting a coach who is going to play his best rotation.
• Speaking of young players, K.J. Martin is next in line in terms of interest around the league. The Athletic was the first to report Martin’s trade request this past summer due to concerns over his long-term role and a rotation that resigned Tate, still had Gordon and drafted rookies Jabari Smith Jr. and Tari Eason. Rival teams continue to believe the Rockets will eventually move Martin, which explains the continued interest. Still, it would be strange to move a 21-year-old versatile forward on a team-friendly contract that seems to be improving with each season. In early November, The Athletic reported Martin’s willingness to sign an extension, off the back of strong performances and extended time on the court. Recently, however, his usage has been a bit inconsistent. For example, Martin has played more than 22 minutes just twice in the past 10 games, both garbage time in blowout losses. After his best performance of the season — a 21-point, 15-rebound performance in 34 minutes in a 128-122 win over the Atlanta Hawks, he played just 14 minutes the next game. As mentioned earlier, finding time for Martin on the floor has been made easier with Tate’s absence with injury but he will return at some point. Team sources believe Martin loves his teammates and simply wants to feel valued — both from a rotational/role standpoint and a financial one. At the same time, while the Rockets aren’t necessarily looking to trade Martin, it’s important to remember that every player has a price. • “K.J. interest makes sense,” the scout said. “In a way, he’s duplication to Tate who Houston already paid, so teams think he is attainable. More than that though, he’s a young player with an elite thing — his athleticism. He’s off the charts there and you feel it in different areas of the game. He’s on a team-friendly deal and has some upside. Every team needs a role player like him to fly around and change games but there’s some room for growth, too.” • There have been a few calls about players like Eason and Tate, team sources said, but the Rockets consider both key parts of their core and aren’t looking to move either one. They aren’t entertaining any inquiries about Green or Smith, either. https://theathletic.com/4015575/2022/12/19/rockets-trades-eric-gordon-kj-martin/
Even without the EG fiasco…..Tate is gonna cost us KJ. “Rockets consider Tate a part of the core” more roster mismanagement - I don’t blame KJ at all and I don’t have faith in our rebuild with decision making like this.
KJ has no leverage to force a trade. He is an average role player off the bench for a good team, or an average role starting player for a bad team. With his team friendly contract, teams will be interested but won't give too much to get him. Players like him (athletic wing players with mediocre shooting, no playmaking ability, and not elite on defense) aren't hard to get. I like him, but don't think he is anything special that warrants a force-out. His current play time isn't bad even with Gordon on the team. If/when Gordon is gone, he may or may not get more when Tate is back. He just has to accept his situation and focus on improving himself rather than whining for getting out.
This team does not cry mediocrity, it is below average. If KJ is league average, then he is better than half of the squad. Average guys still earn a ton in this league and are relatively sought after.
Still it's crazy that a 52nd pick who is still really young is demanding starting minutes or to be traded - likely to a team that won't start him.
