NBA Trade Rumors: Rockets Are Doing Kevin Martin a Disservice by Not Dealing Him

The Houston Rockets should unload SG Kevin Martin before they completely derail his career. They are currently locked in on a trivial game to diminish his value to make it easier to re-sign him, and it is going to backfire.  

Martin has been in trade rumors all year, and this is for good reason. He is a talented player, but his role with the Rockets is constantly changing and his minutes are dropping. 

For the season, he is averaging 32.5 minutes per game, but for February he is averaging just 27.3 minutes per contest. 

That is a low number for a player averaging 18.1 points per game this season and 18.5 for his career. His minutes are going increasingly to Courtney Lee. 

This is all making Martin a little cranky, and despite this he has been told he is untouchable. 

Bill Ingram of HOOPSWORLD expands on this: 

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It’s not really a secret that Kevin Martin is unhappy in Houston. His minutes have been inconsistent, and he’s heard his name come up multiple times in trade rumors after GM Daryl Morey told him he was untouchable. He also doesn’t appreciate that the Rockets are doing to him what they do to everyone come contract time. No early extension (Martin has one more year on his contract), and a promise to do everything possible to drive down his value to re-sign him as cheaply as possible.

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This is a low-rent move, and it is only going to hurt both parties. 

Why Houston Must Trade Martin

While the Rockets may have this grand plan to easily re-sign Martin, what is the point if they completely alienate the player in the process. 

If they push him far enough, he will do everything he can to leave the first chance he gets. 

In the meantime, it sets up a divisive force in the locker room. A situation like this can quickly turn into a cancer and it will erode the team from the inside out. 

The Rockets will find no shortage of teams ready to make a deal for Martin. As Ingram points out, Timberwolves head coach Rick Adelman would love a chance to land Martin.

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It’s also no secret that Rick Adelman would welcome Martin with open arms, should the Rockets value something from the Timberwolves’ roster worthy of a trade for Martin.  

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Even if the Rockets didn't find a package they liked from Minnesota, they could use them as leverage to ensure they get a solid package from another team. And that is the only win-win situation here.