+2
Martin is expected to join the Clippers for Monday's game in Orlando
The Los Angeles Clippers and free-agent big man Kenyon Martin have agreed on a deal, right? Whoa, not so fast.
According to SB Nation’s Tom Ziller, Martin is having some troubles with the Chinese Basketball Association pressuring FIBA, the international governing body of profesional basketball, to rescind Martin’s request to leave his current team, the Xinjiang Tigers, before their season is over.
The Chinese government passed a rule during the NBA lockout this past year that kept teams from signing players already under NBA contracts as well as keeping teams from releasing NBA players after the lockout was over. Kenyon was a free agent, thus allowed to leave for China. Now China is unwilling to let go of him.
Martin applied for FIBA clearance recently after Chinese officials reportedly failed to respond to his request to leave, which FIBA granted without consent for Chinese officials. The CBA season would be over in around two weeks unless the Tigers made the playoffs.
For more on Martin’s signing, head over to Clips Nation.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the Los Angeles Clippers have reportedly agreed on a deal to bring free-agent forward Kenyon Martin to Tinsel Town on a midlevel deal that will become final once Martin completes and passes a physical.
Martin, 34, had been playing overseas with the Xinjiang Tigers in China and had been required by the Chinese Basketball Association to wait and complete their season before heading back to the NBA, but was cleared to return by FIBA, the international governing body of professional basketball.
The 11-year NBA veteran left during last summer's lockout for China, should provide some more talented depth for the Clippers bigs, who is know for his inside strength and rebounding prowess. Martin averaged 13.5 points and 7.2 rebounds with the New Jersey Nets and Denver Nuggets in the NBA career thus far.He averaged only 8.6 points and 6.2 rebounds last season in Denver.
Other teams that had been interested in Martin were the Miami Heat, Lakers, San Antonio Spurs, New York Knicks and Atlanta Hawks.
For more on this trade, head over to Clips Nation.
Los Angeles Clippers Sign Kenyon Martin
The Los Angeles Clippers on Friday significantly bolstered their frontcourt by signing free agent power forward Kenyon Martin. Martin was playing with the Xinjiang Guanghui Flying Tigers of the Chinese Basketball Association this summer after signing with them during the lockout.
Martin is expected to join the Clippers before their game Monday night in Orlando, and will wear uniform number two with his new team.
"Kenyon is the ultimate competitor and a key acquisition," said Clippers Vice President of Basketball Operations Neil Olshey. "We expect that he will provide additional experience, passion and professionalism, as well as some important depth to our front court."
Martin, 34, is an 11-year veteran who spent the last seven years of his career with the Denver Nuggets. In 654 career games, the power forward has averaged 13.5 points and 7.2 rebounds in his career. Martin was an All-Star in the 2003-2004 season while with the New Jersey Nets.
For more on Martin’s signing, head over to Clips Nation.
Feb 03 7:55p by Eric Stephen