The Utah Jazz have waived forward KJ Martin, according to NBA insider Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Martin played in 19 games for Utah last season, including nine starts.
During his time with the Jazz, the 24-year-old averaged 6.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 22.7 minutes per contest while shooting 49% from the field.
Martin arrived in Salt Lake City on February 6 as part of a five-team trade that also sent Jimmy Butler to Golden State. Earlier that same day, he was briefly acquired by the Detroit Pistons in a separate deal before being rerouted to Utah.
Prior to joining the Jazz, Martin played for the Philadelphia 76ers during the 2024–25 season, where he averaged 6.4 points and 3.0 rebounds across 24 games.
The forward, son of former NBA All-Star Kenyon Martin, began his career with the Houston Rockets in 2020. He developed into a steady role player, highlighted by his 2022–23 season when he averaged 12.7 points and 5.5 rebounds while starting 49 games.
Over five NBA seasons, Martin has logged 309 career appearances, averaging 8.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game. His career field-goal percentage sits at 54.5%.
Waiving Martin opens roster flexibility for the Jazz as they prepare for the 2025–26 season. Utah already added rookies Ace Bailey, Will Riley, Jamir Watkins, and John Tonje through the draft while also acquiring veterans Kyle Anderson, Kevin Love, and Jusuf Nurkic earlier in the offseason.
The Jazz are expected to enter training camp with a crowded frontcourt rotation led by Lauri Markkanen, Walker Kessler, and Taylor Hendricks, making minutes difficult to come by for fringe forwards.
