Rockets seeking a "very good first-rounder" for KJ Martin

It’s not KMJ or Eason. It’s having depth at the SF position and flexibility in lineups. KMJ, Tari, and Bari can all share the court creating a potential defensive juggernaut.

Furthermore, it’s about return. You’d be hoping to get back equal value. Hoping.

Your assessment is in line with what I see. But every team needs role players. Especially ones that can thrive without plays called for them.

 

That's exactly the problem however. It IS KMJ or Eason because KMJ has expressed so this off-season. Had that never happened I would have a different view on the matter. But you when you request a trade that says you are not happy with your role. If you are okay with Eason coming off the bench next year then you keep KMJ.

But if you view Eason as starter material then you probably have to move KMJ. I don't think it's great to keep disgruntled players, especially on a young team. Furthermore, we do know we will have another top 10 draft pick next year that will also be vying for minutes. Something also worth considering.

 

He may have said that this offseason, but he later expressed he wants an extension with us. I think you're being too black and white on the issue. There's plenty of minutes for both and Eason still has to develop. The only reason they aren't both getting plentiful minutes each game is because we've got Eric Gordon eating into the mix. The ability for Tari and KMJ to float between playing the 3 or 4 makes it easy to keep them both.

 

He is already a good first rounder talent why take a risk on someone who might bust? Just trade Ego, Tate, Mathews, Nix or any of our picks etc....

DD

 

To add, outside of Wembanyama (who is probably playing PF initially) and Scoot, the top of the draft looks loaded with forwards.

I'd like for Gordon to get moved and hold onto KMJ until draft season picks up. Evaluate your options there, then make a move based on what's available.

In a perfect world, you move the not so performant players (Nix!), but it takes two to tango.
Good luck trying to sell a trade package around Mathews and Nix.

 

Great discussions here from all sides

 

So lets imagine your trying to trade gordon, offers are late 1st rd picks, not enougg.

Teams are asking for KMJ and you want a lottery pick, which is too steep.

Alas, find a team who would want both to get the single best asset you can.

For instance, trade both to the lakers for bev and nunn and an unprotected pick swap in 2027. Allows LAL to still use westy and 26+28 1st to further improve in brons twilight years.

KMJ is cool, but he is a role player and likely always will be. He doesnt shoot great and he doesnt create. His value is peaked and hes not someone i want to pay come FA.

 

The problem with KJ is that he is an elite athlete even for the NBA and you will always be wondering how long that athleticism will last. Will he be able to do that at age 28 or 30 or 32? What would a knee injury do to him? Does he have the basketball IQ to be an effective player if he can't jump higher and quicker than everyone else?

I'm not in favor of trading him for peanuts or even in favor of trading him now, but eventually a long-term decision will need to be made and if I were a GM I'd be hesitant to make a big bet.

(Of course, now that I've written that, he'll never get injured and play until he's 42.)

 

One of the interesting things about KJ is that you barely need to think about what his athleticism will be at 28, because even if you trade for him, decline his 4th year option this summer and extend him for 4-more years, he'll still only be 27 at the conclusion of that contract. You get all of his prime years, and he'll likely be coming off the books right as your contending window is starting to close.

KJ is a heck of an asset for a contending team because of the massive flexibility of his contract situation. If you get him in via in-season trade, you get the opportunity to see whether he is truly someone you can play during the playoffs, or if his limitations get exposed when the pressure ratchets up. Based on your evaluation, you then can potentially flip him during the draft for positioning, you can pick up his minimum level contract if you have lux-tax concerns, or you can decline it and look to sign him to an under-market extension like Jae'Sean Tate. That should give him a lot of suitors.

I would have loved to pick up KJ for any of the Rockets contending teams. I actually look at him very similarly to another KJ, KJ McDaniels; he fetched a high second rounder and a second highly drafted rookie locked into a 3-year deal. If you want to approximate two second rounders in the 30s to a low first rounder, then I think that's probably a fairly accurate price. That probably would feel a bit light on the Rockets side, and I think it would depend on whether you believe that KJ is a league average 3pt shooter like he was for his first two years, or if this year is closer to his true talent level.

 

I agree with what you’re saying. You didn’t mention though (unless the pick is years down the line) another pick is just going to exacerbate the very issue you are commenting on.

I suppose it makes it easier to consolidate assets though if you are wanting potential without a contract attached to it.

Trading this hypothetical pick the Bucks pick and Nets assets with Tate Matthews and either KPJ or Sengun would likely get you higher in this draft or a pretty great player in return to really kick things off next season.

 

it feels like there is more to the org’s relationship with Tate. He really stepped up that first year of the rebuild. Last year I thought his performance was uneven but he still had the biggest motor on the team. He’s been playing out of position a lot of his time with the rockets but has been one of the more reliable defensive players. He also has one of the most compelling personal stories I’ve ever heard. I think that extension meant a lot more than just a bridge to a trade. I think the org still sees him as the heart of the team and actually part of the core. That’s just my impression.

 

I wouldn't mind Stone trading Gordon and Martin for some assets, whether it is late 1st rounders or early 2nd rounders. We have too many players who are not good enough to move a needle and don't have the blue chip that is destined in our future plans. We need to free up minutes for Eason, Tyty and even Josh. It'd be even better if we could package Nix with Gordon/Martin for a starting point guard who can pass and defend.

 

i hear you. But sounds like he can be an unrestricted free agent after next season. And we have a logjam at the position, which includes Eason (higher upside imo) and Tate, who I think the org is committed to longer term. And that assumes we move Gordon or don’t want to play KPJ significant minutes off the ball. I’d be happy for KJ to extend on a reasonable deal but not sure what his asking price is. Mostly it’s that we haven’t carved out a pathway for more playing time and development. I think there are differing opinions on his ceiling. A late lotto pick is valuable and allows us to transform the KJ asset and push it out into the future, freeing up playing time for guys who badly need development minutes right now.

so to me, keeping KJ makes sense under certain circumstances, but not others. I don’t view him as a core player that’s off limits.

 

I don’t see KMJ as a starter, but I think Tari could be. I took the frustration this summer to be that he was upset with his minutes overall and inconsistent use last year. He appears to be fine with his current role off the bench and getting solid rotational minutes. If the Rockets could trade Gordon and move Tari into the starting role, KMJs usage still goes up, and he’s in a position to thrive.

Tari Eason is currently a better player than KMJ 30 games into his career. And he was a better prospect coming into the NBA. If KMJ doesn’t accept a role on this team because he thinks he should be a starter, he’s likely going to have a wake up call when he tries to find a starting spot somewhere else.

 

I think he is a decent player but already close to 27 years old and they are going to amass on wing players in the future.

It would be a solution for both sides.

 

I would trade him if you can get a 5-10 FRP this year to give us more odds for Wemby otherwise- no ,

DD

 

No GM is giving up a top 5 pick for KJ