Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Oklahoma City Thunder guard, Kevin Martin, has had a roller coaster like playoffs thus far. With the injury to Russell Westbrook which has ended the rest of his season, Martin has been relied on heavily for offensive contribution.
Even though Martin has played well in the past couple games for the Thunder, he has been far from consistent, and it may just cost him any hopes of re-signing with the Thunder this offseason.
Martin has had a difficult time this postseason scoring the ball in both halves of games. In the first round against the Houston Rockets, Martin had solid starts in the first half of games, but he could not continue any momentum in the final 24 minutes.
Martin has averaged 15.3 points per game in the playoffs this season, but it is just on 38 percent shooting. This Thunder team expects more of Martin, especially with the absence of Westbrook.
One thing the Thunder will have to keep in mind going into the off-season will be the free agency of Martin. He made $12.4 million this season, which is good for third most on the Thunder roster. Martin is certainly a player with a hefty price tag, and it may not be in the Thunder’s best interest to sign him again — especially after not fulfilling the expectations Thunder nation had for him this year in replacing James Harden.
If the Thunder refuse to sign Martin, they will have to find another guard to replace him. I’m just thinking out loud, but reigning sixth Man of the Year, J.R. Smith, looks like a pretty good acquisition. Smith made only $2.8 million this year with the New York Knicks, but he will more than likely be looking for more money in free agency after his successful season.
With all of that said, there is still a lot of basketball left for Martin to prove himself to the Thunder organization. He has taken steps in the right direction in the past couple of games, averaging 25 points on 55 percent shooting. The perception of Martin might change if he continues to contribute for the Thunder on a nightly basis throughout the remainder of their season.
Jared Porter is an Oklahoma City Thunder writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @JaredRyanPorter, or add him on Facebook.
