FILE – Philadelphia 76ers’ KJ Martin came to an agreement on a two-year, $16-million NBA contract. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File)
PHILADELPHIA— The Philadelphia 76ers are keeping at least one player acquired in the James Harden deal, coming to an agreement on a two-year, $16-million contract with forward K.J. Martin. a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press on Friday.
Martin was part of the November trade with the Clippers that shipped the disgruntled Harden to Los Angeles. Martin now has a multi-year commitment with the 76ers, according to a person who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal was not yet official.
The 76ers also acquired Marcus Morris, Nicolas Batum and Robert Covington in the trade. All four players had contracts that expired at the end of last season. It was all part of a design by Sixers President Daryl Morey to free up both roster and salary-cap space to make a big offseason splash in free agency.
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The 76ers have done that and have kept the transactions wire humming.
Just a day earlier, six-time All-Star guard Kyle Lowry agreed to a one-year deal. His return was another aggressive move by the revamped 76ers, who will expect to be in title contention after adding Paul George to a roster led by Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. George left the Los Angeles Clippers for Philadelphia and a four-year, $212 million deal as a free agent, and Maxey quickly agreed to a five-year, $204 million extension.
The Sixers also re-signed Kelly Oubre Jr. and added veteran free agents Eric Gordon, Caleb Martin and Andre Drummond in a bid to capitalize on the remaining years of Embiid’s prime. Philadelphia hasn’t advanced to the Eastern Conference finals since 2001.
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The 23-year-old Martin was a second-round pick by the Sacramento Kings in the 2020 draft. He was quickly traded to the Rockets where he played the first three seasons of his NBA career.
Martin, the son of former No. 1 overall pick Kenyon Martin, averaged 3.7 points in his 58 games with the Sixers last season.