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NBA Trade Rumors: 5 destinations for Kevin Martin

By John Buhler

Jan 13, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Kevin Martin (23) reacts after making a basket during the fourth quarter against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. The Rockets won 107-104. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 13, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Kevin Martin (23) reacts after making a basket during the fourth quarter against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. The Rockets won 107-104. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 16, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves shooting guard Kevin Martin (23) dribbles in the first quarter against the Sacramento Kings guard Ben McLemore (16) at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 16, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves shooting guard Kevin Martin (23) dribbles in the first quarter against the Sacramento Kings guard Ben McLemore (16) at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports /

3. Sacramento Kings

Would the Sacramento Kings have any interest in re-acquiring a former player of theirs in Martin of the Minnesota Timberwolves? Sacramento selected Martin with the 26th overall selection in the 2004 NBA Draft out of Western Carolina University. Martin played his first 5.5 seasons in the NBA with the Kings in Northern California.

Though it is certainly a different era of Kings basketball led by head coach George Karl, general manager Vlade Divac, and owner Vivek Ranadive, the Kings organization would know better than most what type of player they would be getting in Martin should they make a trade with the Timberwolves in the coming weeks.

Sacramento maybe below-.500 as usual, but this year their 19-23 record has the Kings in eighth place in the Western Conference with a shot at making the NBA Playoffs for the first time in over a decade. The last time the Kings made the playoffs was when Martin was in his second season playing shooting guard for Sacramento.

The Kings would have to send either Marco Belinelli, Rudy Gay, or Ben McLemore to Minnesota to hopefully pull off the trade, but acquiring Martin would open up the floor more for Rajon Rondo and DeMarcus Cousins pick and rolls on offense.

Sacramento isn’t a great defensive team anyway, so Martin’s inefficiencies there won’t stand out so much. He could provide the necessary veteran leadership that the Kings might need more of than most to orchestrate their first playoff run in a decade. It would also add a nostalgic sense in bring Martin back to Sacramento in the final season of Sleep Train Arena. Maybe he could help the Kings break in Golden 1 Center in Downtown Sacramento next season as a rotational player?

Next: 2. Memphis Grizzlies

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