A promising piece of the Rockets’ young nucleus might eventually head out of the Clutch City this offseason.
Rockets insider Kelly Iko reported on Sunday that Kenyon Martin Jr. has approached the Houston brass to openly express some possibilities to be traded.
Added by Iko, there’s no bad blood existing between both sides, and Martin Jr. just has been mulling on his impending role and further exposure within the ball club – with all signs pointing at Houston selecting explosive forward Paolo Banchero of Duke University for the third overall pick of the upcoming annual rookie selection.
Chosen as the 52nd selection of the 2020 Draft, Martin Jr. offers a fantastic energy and a glimpse of huge potential if given enough playing time.
In his second season, Martin Jr.’s averages have dropped compared to his rookie year, chalking up 8.8 points, 3.8 boards, 1.3 assists in just 21 minute of play for 79 games.
In his first campaign in the NBA, the high-flying cager recorded 9.3 points, 5.4 rebounds per 23.7 minutes of action.
Though they shipped Christian Wood to the Dallas Mavericks, the Rockets are facing a daunting challenge of maximizing the growth and potential of their frontcourt cagers this next season. The departure of Wood perhaps opened an opportunity for Turkish sensation Alperen Sengun to be slated as the starting center, with defensive specialist Usman Garuba also expected to benefit for some playing minutes.
But Martin Jr.’s position will truly be a complicated one, as Jae’Sean Tate might continue to be favored as a starter at the three.
At age 21, Martin Jr. still has room to improve with that elite athleticism and huge bag to be an effective two-way wing in the future. As such, this case now goes down to Rafael Stone and the H-town – deciding whether he’ll continue to be part of their bright project or soon-to-be trading chip.
