Trade for Martin finished with playoffs in mind

Philadelphia – Despite the current performances, Mavericks fully expects to be a strength when the playoffs roll around.

And they took a step Tuesday to strengthen their swagger after the season.

Mavericks traded for Caleb Martin, who has been a skilled rotation player for the Philadelphia 76ers this season, but marked himself as a playoff dynamo for three seasons with Miami Heat.

In 45 playoff matches from 2022-24 for the heat, he average he 9.4 points, 4.0 rebounds and shot 40 percent from three-point range. In the playoffs of 2023, he played in all 23 of Heat’s games on the way to the NBA final and average 12.7 points and 5.4 rebounds. He shot 42.3 percent from long range.

And he got an approval stamp from Philadelphia coach Nick Nurse on Tuesday.

“I call him a bit of a tool guy, but kind of a prime time guy, incredible in the playoffs,” Nurse said. “You wouldn’t call him a shooting game, but then he might just sneak up and kill you in a game or two from the three. Playing really hard. Will defend multiple positions. “

And now he has to do all that for Mavericks after they traded Quentin Grimes and a 2025 election to Martin on Tuesday. That all parties happened to be in the Wells Fargo Center created a quick exchange.

Jason Kidd detailed the logic behind the deal for Mavericks while thanking Grimes for his professionalism in his short stay in Dallas.

“He did everything we asked. He is a professional, ”Kidd said of Grimes. “I talked to him this afternoon. His ability defensively and offensively to help us, we will miss him.

“But you look at Caleb, the versatility. His former teammates have always talked a lot about him. His versatility defensively and his experience in the playoffs. We are really happy to have this opportunity. Hopefully we can cross trails here in the same building, hopefully soon here. “

Although not almost the wave maker that trade with Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis was, this is an important feature of Mavericks.

The 6-5 guard was acquired from the Philadelphia 76ers, just hours before Tipoff in Philly.

Grimes had been one of Mavericks’ key arrivals during the peak season as they traded Tim Hardaway Jr. and three choices of the second round to get him from Detroit. But of course, the team appreciates what Martin, who is five years older than the 24-year-old Grimes, can bring to the table.

Martin has missed the last dozen matches for Philadelphia with a hip injury. He was listed as questionable on Tuesday before trade removed him from the Sixers’ damage list.

Rebound begins: Afterhock of Blockbuster still hasn’t fully worn on mavericks, but they take steps in the right direction.

On Tuesday, Anthony Davis and Max Christie were at the team Confirmation and participated in the morning Shootaround in the Wells Fargo Center.

“Everyone is excited when you talk about being able to have Christie and ad physically there this morning for breakfast, to be able to have shots, the energy,” Kidd said. “Everyone is excited and you could see it this morning at breakfast and at Shootaround.”

Kidd said he also hopes this is step towards removing three dreaded words from Mavericks’ vocabulary: Next man up.

“We’ve been hurt or sick, and we just haven’t been whole,” he said. “We’ve talked about the next man. Hopefully that phrase can go away here shortly, we can get healthy and move on after the trade deadline. “

Short: Kidd at Sixers’ Guard Tyrese Maxey, who has the best season of his career: “He is on the Shai (Gilgeous-Alexander) path. Every year he gets better. Maxey is still on the path of bringing something new to the table every year. He is in the group of young, talented point guards who get better every year. ”. . . Nurse said it was interesting that the Mavs-Sixers trade happened on a day when they played each other. But he remembers Stranger Times. “It used to happen all the time in the smaller leagues,” he said. “The guys would sometimes change at the break.”

X: @esefko