Wolves Acquire Veteran Guard Kevin Martin
The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced the team has acquired guard Kevin Martin via a sign-and-trade as part of a three-team deal with Oklahoma City and Milwaukee.
As part of the trade, the Wolves send Luke Ridnour and a 2014 second-round pick (from the Los Angeles Lakers via the Phoenix Suns; acquired on July 27, 2012) to the Bucks. Minnesota and Milwaukee will also receive cash considerations from Oklahoma City while the Bucks send the draft rights to Szymon Szewczyk to the Thunder.
"We are excited to add a talented veteran in Kevin Martin to our team," said Flip Saunders, Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations. "Kevin is one of the top shooters and more efficient scorers in the NBA and will help us immensely in those areas. Kevin is familiar with Coach Adelman's style of play and had success playing for him in Sacramento and Houston. We expect that to continue in Minnesota."
The Timberwolves were last in three-point shooting last year and Martin shot a career-high 42.6 percent from three-point range last season and is 39 percent from that distance for his career. Also, in the last seven years, Martin is the fourth leading scorer at two-guard, behind only Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade and Monta Ellis.
In his nine seasons in the NBA with Sacramento (2004-10), Houston (2010-12) and Oklahoma City (2012-13), Martin has averaged 17.8 points. 3.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 552 games (387 starts). The 30-year-old has career shooting averages of .443 from the field, .385 from three-point range and .867 percent from the free throw line.
He has averaged +20.0 ppg and made +100 three-pointers in a single season five times over his career. Martin has previously played 3+ seasons for Rick Adelman (2004 - 2006, Sacramento; 2010 - 2011, Houston), averaging 14.9 ppg, including 23.4 ppg in the 2010-11 season which ranked ninth in the NBA.
In 2012-13, Martin, a 6-7 guard, averaged 14.0 points and 2.3 rebounds in 77 games for Oklahoma City. He shot .426 from the floor and a career-high .426 from three-point range while making 158 treys, the second-highest single-season total of his career. Martin ranked 4th in the NBA in free-throw percentage, shooting .890 from the charity stripe. In 11 playoff games with the Thunder, Martin averaged 14.0 points and 3.1 rebounds, including scoring 25 points in the series-clinching Game 6 at Houston and 25 points in the series opener vs. Memphis.
Martin was originally selected with the 26th overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft by the Sacramento Kings out of Western Carolina. He was traded to Houston in exchange for Carl Landry and Joey Dorsey on Feb. 18, 2010. Oklahoma City acquired Martin, along with Jeremy Lamb and three future draft picks, on October 27, 2012 in exchange for James Harden, Daequan Cook, Lazar Hayward and Cole Aldrich.
Martin will wear uniform No. 23 with the Wolves.
"We thank Luke for his contributions to the Wolves during his three seasons in Minnesota," said Saunders. "He is a consummate professional and we wish him the best in Milwaukee."
In his three seasons in Minnesota, Ridnour averaged 11.7 points and 4.6 assists in 206 games (201 starts). In 2012-13, he averaged 11.5 points and 3.8 assists in 82 contests (all starts). Ridnour returns to Milwaukee where he played from 2008-10.