NBA Rumors: How Kenyon Martin Would Help the Miami Heat

The Miami Heat are in the running for Kenyon Martin, who was one of the many NBA players unable to play at the start of the season due to a binding contract with an overseas team.

The Heat, who can only offer the veteran's minimum of $1.4 million, will be competing with the San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Clippers, Atlanta Hawks and New York Knicks for the 34-year-old power forward. The Clippers and Knicks can offer up to $2.5 million, much more than Miami can squander. 

Martin left Xinjiang Guanghui of the Chinese Basketball Association in late December in the hopes of returning to the NBA, but is unable to sign with any team until their season ends on Feb. 16. He wants to join a team in which he can have a major role in competing for a championship. 

What would the former All-Star bring to the Heat if he decides to take his talents to South Beach?

Experience

As a part of New Jersey, Kenyon Martin was a key component in the revitalization of the Nets and helped take them to back-to-back NBA Finals in 2002 and 2003. He averaged over 15 points and seven rebounds during that stretch.

He's also been to the playoffs nine times and has a 14.9 points per game average in the postseason.

The Heat are a pretty complete team, but one aspect they would love to improve in is NBA Finals experience. They tore through the playoffs last year before coming up flat against the Dallas Mavericks, and adding Martin would bring more poise and experience to this team.

Martin is looking for his first championship, and he'd be wise to take less money and give himself the best opportunity to do so in Miami. 

Defensive Toughness

Kenyon Martin has always been a tough defender, and he would embrace that role on a Miami team looking to improve that aspect of their game. The Heat aren't bad on defense, but they're far from elite. Bringing in a guy who is hungry to win and prove himself worthy of a roster spot could really give them a boost. 

Coming onto a team already littered with star players would allow Martin to focus on his role as a defensive specialist, which could really enhance both his and the team's play. At 6'9", he isn't huge, but is just as big as the rest of the forwards.

He will be able to hold his own in the paint and is also a great rebounder, which Miami could use more of. 

Frontcourt Depth

Adding another solid, all-around post player to the mix would be very beneficial for Miami. 

The Heat have a few question marks in their frontcourt, and although it's unsure how much he would help this year, the return more than outweighs the risk. Worst case scenario for the Heat would be giving up $1.4 million, and the best case scenario would be finding a guy that is capable of outplaying many of Miami's forwards.  

Martin may not be the player that he used to be, but he still has a lot left and would be more of an asset than a liability to Miami's frontcourt

Plays Well Beside the Best

A former No. 1 overall pick in the 2000 NBA Draft, Kenyon Martin probably expected to be the star on every team he played on. 

Unfortunately for Martin, he never has been. But he played well alongside players like Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson in New Jersey, where he was able to gel and make his teammates better while still contributing at a high level. And no one can forget that he played with Carmelo Anthony in Denver for many years, averaging 12 points a game despite playing similar positions.

The stardom that he would join in Miami would be comparable to all of those players combined and then some. But he's been there before, and knows how to play besides the best in the business. If he is over some of the character issues that have hindered his career in the past, he will be a great fit for Miami. 

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