Minnesota Timberwolves shooting guard Kevin Martin. (Photo : Getty Images)
The San Antonio Spurs are reportedly keen on signing veteran shooting guard Kevin Martin if the Minnesota Timberwolves decide to buy out his contract and waive him before the March 1 deadline.
Martin, 33, will be eligible to play for the Spurs in the postseason as long as he is signed by the ballclub before the said deadline. His former Wolves teammate, Andre Miller, is reportedly set to join San Antonio after clearing waivers last Saturday.
ESPN's Marc Stein noted that the Spurs "have emerged as strong contenders to sign" the 6-foot-7 three-point specialist as they have made "the strongest pitch" among several postseason contenders who are allegedly luring Martin.
Reports are out that Martin and the Wolves are already in "advanced talks" regarding a contract buyout and it should be only a matter of time before the former Western Carolina standout becomes a free agent.
Stein indicated that "Martin and the Timberwolves have until midnight ET Tuesday to part ways in order for Martin to be playoff-eligible for his next team".
The other teams who are reportedly interested in signing Martin are the Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks, and reigning Eastern Conference champions Cleveland Cavaliers, who are also desperately searching for a veteran backcourt presence in their respective benches.
The same as Miller, the Zanesville, Ohio native was seldom used by the Wolves this season to make way for their younger counterparts namely Andrew Wiggins, Zach LaVine, and Tyus Jones.
SB Nation reported that "Martin is averaging his lowest minutes played since his rookie season, in favor of developing Minnesota's young roster", averaging 10.6 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in only 21.4 minutes per game.
He averaged 20.0 points, 3.6 boards, and 2.3 dimes during the 2014-2015 season also for the Wolves.
However, what remains constant for Martin is his shooting accuracy from beyond the three-point line. He shot 39.3 percent from range in 2014-2015 and is shooting 36.9 percent this season, which would be extremely useful for any contending team especially during a deep run in the playoffs.
Martin is a "pure scorer" and is reportedly planned to augment for the absence of another veteran shooting guard, Manu Ginobili, who is currently sidelined after undergoing testicular surgery.
