Minnesota Timberwolves shooting guard Kevin Martin (L) is blocked by Atlanta Hawks' Jeff Teague. (Photo : Getty Images)
Recent NBA trade rumors have mentioned that Minnesota Timberwolves' Kevin Martin could be traded to the Detroit Pistons as the shooting guard could not seem to find his appropriate role in the team at the moment.
The 32-year-old, 11-year veteran is perhaps the most out-of-place player in the Wolves' roster right now.
Consider this: he entered training camp and preseason as Sam Mitchell's starting two guard before being relegated to the bench prior to the start of the regular season in favor of the much younger Zach LaVine.
Then, 14 games into the new season, he was placed back in the starting lineup to replace old guy Tayshaun Prince, but still could not find his natural offensive groove as he is not even a fourth option in offense behind Andrew Wiggins, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Ricky Rubio. LaVine, who was sent back to the bench, gets more touches and looks than he does overall.
What is prominent about Martin's current woes is the huge drop in his scoring average and field goal percentage, which is from 20.0 ppg and 42.7 percent in 39 games last season to 11.6 ppg and 34.4 percent in 16 games so far this season.
Bleacher Report's Dan Favale noted that Martin is "not young enough to be a long-term fixture, yet he's not old enough to be ceding a lion's share of his minutes and touches to inexperienced youngsters".
Being in the middle of Minnesota's rebuilding effort has definitely not benefited both Martin and the Wolves as he is so used to being a first or second option "spot-up shooting reserve", as Favale coined it, to have "real impact", and the team simply has a lot of talents that he has to contend with.
With that premise, RantSports suggested that a trade to the Detroit Pistons might get him out of his current funk while the Wolves get some salary-cap relief.
Detroit needs a more consistent outside shooter than Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, but Jodie Meeks could not deliver perimeter shooting and a reliable defense simultaneously. Martin needs more touches and the Wolves could not provide it for him anymore, and so a trade with the Pistons does make sense.
While there are no indications that the two teams are interested in making this proposal actually happen, ESPN Trade Machine has approved a direct swap between Martin and Meeks. Until then, though, this rumor will only remain a rumor.
