76ers sign former playoff hero away from rival team

Mar 14, 2021; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers logo on the hardwood court against the San Antonio Spurs at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

The Philadelphia 76ers continue to load the boat.

Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported Saturday that veteran forward Caleb Martin has agreed to sign with the 76ers in free agency. Martin is getting a four-year deal guaranteed for over $32 million and is expected to be their new starting power forward, Wojnarowski notes. Philadelphia is also waiving big man Paul Reed to create room for Martin on the roster.

The 28-year-old Martin, a former undrafted player, had spent the last three seasons with the Miami Heat and became known for his postseason heroics. Martin was very nearly named Eastern Conference Finals MVP in 2023 after posting multiple 25-point games in a series victory over the Boston Celtics. He played an important role for Miami off the bench during their ECF run the previous year as well.

While Martin is very much a role player with a career average of 9.4 points per game, he can defend the other team’s best scorer, hit three-pointers at an excellent rate (40.1 percent for his career), and score both at the rim and from the perimeter. That will be a very valuable skillset for the 76ers in their new-look starting lineup that will likely feature Martin, Tyrese Maxey, Paul George, Kelly Oubre, and Joel Embiid. The Martin addition probably means though that Philly is out of the running for this notable reunion signing.