2009-10 Exit Interview: Kenyon Martin

I’m inclined to think the Nuggets should keep K-Mart for the entire season and then we can benefit from the $16m coming off the books. If we trade for matching contract(s), aren’t we really just extending K-Mart’s salary for even more years (just with a different player/players)? It’s been awhile since the Nuggets have had any wiggle room and had a big contract come off the books. I’d hate to see them trade that away for one or two players with extended contracts that some other team is trying to dump on us.

I hate to be realistic on this matter, but I feel Kenyon has already played his last game as a Denver Nugget. Now that he’s had surgery and may not be back until December, that expiring contract of $16.5 million on the books would be trade bate for a team looking to free up cap space at season’s end. Potentially, the Nuggets could trade him to a team who would buy his contract out and then he would re-sign with Denver after he was waived much like Antonio McDyess did in the Billups trade two years ago.

I think the Nuggets could get some decent players for Kenyon’s contract. I agree with you Nate, I love Kenyon’s game too. I stuck up for the guy his first couple of years here when so many people criticized him for not playing hard and not playing injured. He was definitely overpaid, but he was a valuable asset to this team the last few years.

I think you hit the nail on the head when you said Kenyon would be a great player to have at $6-10 million per. Your fandom may be leading you to give too much credit when you say he seemed like he was the guy who was going to make us a contender. On the contrary, it always seemed to me that dedicating max money to Martin firmly established a ceiling one tier below a real championship team. Moreover, I’ve always felt that the ridiculous contract has always caused Martin to put pressure on himself to play outside of his game. Under no circumstances should K-Mart be hoisting the number of 20-footers he does. I firmly believe that a player with his skill set should be shooting in the area of 55% field goals. It’s unfortunate, because a guy who should be thought of as a valuable piece on a very good team is always going to remembered for his albatross of a contract. As a Denver fan, it’s nigh impossible for me to think about what we could have done with an $8 million K-Mart and another $8 million puzzle piece on this roster.

But only if we can get a big who plays just as hard. I don’t want to see some crappy man-on-man defender on the team who couldn’t get a rebound to save his life. Trading Martin away isn’t as easy as it sounds.
Sure, it’s easy to trade him for anybody, but if we’re looking to improve, it’s tougher then it sounds.

while he’s still on crutches. After he’s healthy and running again, no way.

There is no question KMart is gone. The only question is when. If the team is serious about winning a championship, they move him between now and the deadline. If they just let his contract expire, they won’t compete for a championship, they’ll just be a small market team saving money.

I think it’s safe to say Kmarts days as an effective player are over. Which sucks because of how well he was finally playing last year. Whoever signs Kmart to his next contract is making a mistake and he’ll look like Chris Webber at the end of his career.

After 6 years maybe the Nuggets will finally learn to prepare as if Kenyon will never carry the load he’s being paid for. It’s time to get another power forward and move on. The injuries and the contract that really hurts the team was not his fault. The guy has a lot of heart and gave all he could but it’s over, Kenyon will not help Denver anymore. The Nuggets are fooling themselves and going nowhere trying to build this team with Kenyon Martin as a cornerstone piece.

seriously, cut the ties… we had a good run, but sadly, Kenyon’s injuries plagued his tenure here in Denver… don’t just trade him for the sake of getting rid of him… but try to get some players who can actually play during the season

at least then we could send kmart for jamison and hickson. hell, ill even take on boobie gibson, if we get jamison and hickson.

highly unlikely tho.

The guy built his game on athleticism and defense. As guys get older and the injuries pile up those are usually 2 of the first things to fade. He could still be a Grant Hill type contributor because of how fundamentally sound he is on defense. But I don’t think he is smart enough or savvy enough on offense to be a guy you can lean on as one of the best players on your team. I don;t think Kenyon would play off the bench and I could see him retiring if he’s not able to bounce back next year

He’s getting surgery and will be having more platlet therapy etc. I’m sure he’ll be even better next year. Let’s do whatever KMart asks and maybe after next season we can sign him to another fat contract (just to make sure he ends his career in Denver)…. yeah

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=5340026

damn we probably could have gotten him for a TPE.

The New Jersey Nets will trade Yi Jianlian and $3 million to the Washington Wizards for Quinton Ross and the Wizards’ trade exception, league sources said.

The deal will be completed on Tuesday, the sources said.

The move will allow the Nets to clear another $3 million in cap space to spend on free agency this summer.

Yi is scheduled to make $4 million next season. Ross is set to make $1.1 million. The Nets should now have roughly $30 million in cap space to spend after the move, according to sources.

He’s been an up and down ride in Denver. Obviously the low point was the Clippers series and the high point was last season before he got injured. The injuries are getting old. The attitude and poor decisions are completely unacceptable. I don’t see him being a Nugget long but then again I remember his double-double splurge last season and I realize how valuable he can be. There are some decent RFAs next year in the big man department (Noah, Horford, Oden) but will the Nuggets have enough money to throw at one of those guys? Who knows, but probably not. with that said I think the best option is to try and deal K-mart. It won’t be as easy as people think, this knee injury complicates things and the Nuggets will need to find a team in complete cost cutting mode. It is possible and in the interest of team chemistry, which will take a large hit by losing the heart of the team on one of the longest tenured nuggets, if they are to deal K-mart it should be sooner rather than later.

I wonder if either team would consider a Kevin Garnett for Kenyon Martin trade….
It helps Denver get a low post threat on offense and defense, even if he is just a shell of his former self. But that’s a lot of money to commit to an older big with recent injury problems. For Boston, they could be looking at rebuilding around Rondo with 2011 FAs.

I know Boston has always loved Nene, but I don’t think I’d trade KG for Nene

When he throws it down I get hyped like I just dunked.