Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Kevin Martin was the most significant player the Oklahoma City Thunder acquired from the Houston Rockets in the James Harden trade prior to last season, and he became a primary piece off the bench for the Thunder, averaging 14.0 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game while making nearly 43 percent of his three-pointers in 77 games played.
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Martin signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves in free agency this summer, where he will be reunited with coach Rick Adelman and be the starting shooting guard for his new team. Will the move boost Martin’s fantasy value?
Martin spent one full season under Adelman in Houston (2010-2011), and had one of his best seasons with per game averages of 23.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists and one steal per game while starting 80 games. Prior to last season he had predominantly been a starter during his career, so the transition back to a starting role and more minutes should be smooth.
Martin has been bothered by an Achilles’ issue this preseason, but he recently returned to practice and should be ready for the start of the season. Of course any type of injury to a Timberwolves’ player after what the team went through last year is a concern for fantasy basketball owners, but for now Martin should be expected to hit the ground running later this month when the games start to count.
Martin has a chance to be a relative value in fantasy drafts after what could be considered a down season in 2012-2013, and a slow start is possible as he builds chemistry with his new teammates after the time he has missed during the exhibition season. But Martin has nice upside potential as a scorer and three-point shooter with Ricky Rubio feeding him the ball, even if his career history (3.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game) suggests his fantasy value will be solely dependent on his ability to score.
Brad Berreman is a contributing writer at Rant Sports.com. Follow him on Twitter @bradberreman24.
