Kj martin -trading is an irregular waste of resources from Sixers

When Sixers signed KJ Martin for a two-year-old, $ 16 million contract this last season, their intentions seemed clear. They would eventually use Martin’s Ballon Agreement for Payroll Matches to trade with another rotation player to supplement their new Big 3.

Wednesday that dream died. Instead, the Sixers Martin and Second Round Selected Selection from Milwaukee Bucks in 2027 and Dallas Mavericks In 2031 to Detroit stamps in a pure wage dump.

In the wake of this trade, Sixers is now $ 1.4 million under the luxury tax line and $ 8.2 million under the first apron. Being so far below the apron has a few advantages-of them they can now sign someone in the buyout market that earlier earned more than the exception of non-tax payments. (Does Ben Simmon’s home come?) They can now also take back more wages in a trade than they send out, even though Joel Embiid, Paul George, Tyrese Maxey and Kelly Oubre Jr. is their only four players left who earn more than $ 5 million this season.

If the Martin agreement sets the stage for a George trade where Sixers takes back more wages than they send out, it can be more justifiable. But at the moment, this looks like an irregular waste of resources, both from a draft pick and contractual point of view.

First the draft election. Bucks just traded Khris Middleton for Kyle Kuzma. If (when?) That is left on them could be closer to a possible Giannis Antetokounmpo action request. It is worth focusing on their long -term future, especially as they make increasingly desperate movements to soothe Greek freak.

The same goes for Mavericks who just traded Luka Freaking Dončić for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a distant first round. Mavs is now building about two unreliable 30-Somethings in Davis and Kyrie Irving. They have significantly shortened their title window. Their second round of 2031 is possibly one of the most valuable second rounds on the market.

In order for you to not think that a few choices in the second round can be used, consider this: In December Golden State Warriors Handled De’anthony Melton (who is out in the season with a torn ACL) for Dennis Schröder and a net of two choices of the second round. The Los Angeles Lakers Got Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton for d’Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis and three choices in the second round. Two or three second rounds can pick up a legitimate rotation player. To steal one of Daryl Morey’s favorite buzzwords, Sixers just hampered their future opportunity with this trade.

There is also the contractual aspect to consider. Martin’s contract was fully non-guaranteed in 2025-26. This trade has zero significance for their offseason plans, especially their ability to sign Guerschon Yabusele. If they needed more flexibility to access the exception of non-taxpayer intermediate level, they could have waived Martin and not used two second rounds to get off his contract.

Sixers generated a $ 8.0 million traded playing exception with this deal, but Martin effectively served the same purpose. In fact, it limits to make him a tpe their flexibility. They could have collected Martin with other contracts to acquire a player who earned more, but they cannot combine other contracts with TPE.

Had Sixers held Martin through the peak season, they could have revised these conversations next season. If they sign Kelly Oubre Jr. And/or Quentin Grimes, they could have gathered Martin with one of them, perhaps to acquire someone earning $ 20-Plus Million. (Cam Johnson?) It’s no longer an option.

Sixers are already dangerously top -notch with their wage structure. Unless they are willing to trade one of their large 3, they will have limited ways to upgrade their supportive crew through trade. Martin’s $ 8 million contract could have been a valuable salary-matching chip to get another rotation player in. Instead, they completely spilled this opportunity.

Nor can the injured Sixers justify this trade from a perspective on the field. Martin probably wouldn’t have played heavy minutes when the Sixers were at full strength, but he helped them connect holes with Embiid and George laterally sidelined this season. Although he has been out since the end of December with a stress reaction in his left foot, he was apparently returning before trade. Sixers upgraded him to questionable for Tuesday tonight’s match against Dalla’s Mavericks before holding him out because of the pending deal.

Sixers may mention the repeater tax as another reason why they paid Martin. However, they already Reset the clock on the last yearWhich means they couldn’t have been subject to it until 2027-28 at the earliest. Staying out of the treasure this season will push it back one more year, but George will still be away from their books at the time.

NBA’s new collective negotiation agreement made the repeater tax Far more punitiveBut again, it was not an impending concern for Sixers. They could have emerged the treasure some of the next three seasons and reset the clock on it again. (A team has to stay over the tax threshold three times for a four -year period to be subject to the repeater tax the following season.)

We are 28 hours away from the trading deadline, so Sixers still has time to make another step and justify this trade as something beyond a shameless way to emerge the luxury tax. Otherwise, it seems that team owners prioritized their own bank accounts over putting Sixers in the best position to save what is left by the Joel Embiid era.

Prices NBA price banners for it at least?

Unless otherwise stated, all statistics via Nba.comAt PBPStatsAt Cleaning the glass or Basketball reference. All salary information via Salary Swish and information on wage capital via Real alga.

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