Caleb Martin brings some Miami Heat toughness to Philly. The Carolina native will provide his versatility and positionless style on defense to help his new team make life tough on opposing wings.
The Miami Heat had aimed to extend Caleb Martin last season, but that plan ultimately failed to materialize. Pat Riley and co. offered the 29-year-old veteran $58M over four years, but Martin’s camp believed they could get more.
The market dictated otherwise so Martin camp’s “failed” gamble turned into the Sixers’ gain when Daryl Morey, Elton Brand and co. signed the forward away from Miami on a new $32M, four-year deal.
In 2022, it was P.J. Tucker they lured away from Miami. Now it’s Martin. The bi-annual Heat Player exception, anyone? If they keep this tradition up, maybe one day they can even the score for allowing Jimmy Butler to escape to South Beach. Jokes aside, there’s a reason Morey has his eyes on basically anyone who dons the black and raspberry. Miami not only wins, they win with very hungry players all looking to overachieve. And that’s Nick Nurse’s music.
At Sixers media day, Martin, who truly put his name on the map during Game 7 of the 2023 East Finals (26 points, 10 boards, 4-of-6 from distance), helped Miami eliminate the Boston Celtics on the road by 19. From an undrafted player to merciless Celtics killer in the biggest game of the year. Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey will take that all day.
And despite having been a core member of #HeatCulture, Martin really likes the vibes in Philly now.
“I think just the buzz with the team. I think everybody’s excited to get going,” Martin told reporters at media day in Camden.
It sounds like Martin thinks this core, featuring Embiid, Maxey and Paul George, has a good mix of both hunger and experience.
“I think the good thing we have is that everybody’s been close to being the last team standing but nobody’s quite done it yet besides [Nick[ Nurse, Kyle [Lowry] and those guys. We all want to be a part of a team … with the ultimate bragging rights. I think we’re all excited to try to make that happen,” Martin added.
Martin’s Stats
2022-2023
9.6 points, 1 steal, 1.6 assists, 4.8 rebounds, 35.6% from three, TS% .571
2023-2024
10 points, 0.7 steals, 2.2 assists, 4.4 rebounds, 35% from three, TS% .531
Martin’s defensive win share has hovered above 2.0 in each of the last three seasons making him a stalwart two-way capable wing; one of the now most sought-after commodities in the sport.
In fact, it may be Martin’s perimeter defense that Nurse prizes most of all. Defensively, he can pick up almost any task. And with Kelly Oubre, Jr. as the fifth projected starter, Martin may be slotted in at the starting four spot. But he doesn’t worry too much about labels like that.
They may not be quite as formidable and versatile of a defensive wing trio as Josh Hart, OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges like the New York Knicks now boast, but George, Oubre and Martin ain’t shabby.
“[I’m] 6-6 with shoes on,” Martin said with a smile on Monday. “It’s what I’ve been doing the last couple of years. People say, playing the four and whatever, but if a four screens for the one, I’m guarding the point guard. I think that’s a thing people put on paper, but I think it’s positionless basketball more often than not in today’s game… I just look at it as being versatile. But if I’ve got to play the four and I’m guarding the four, I’ve been able to hold my own for as long as I’ve been in the league.”
Martin talked about his experience making a deep Finals run in Miami, and how he thinks this Sixers’ core may be able to form like Voltron and get stops.
“I think just the versatility that I bring,” the Mocksville, North Carolina native said. “Not only me, but we’ve got a lot of guys that can play multiple positions. I think that’s what makes us a deep team — and it goes back to being positionless, being able to guard one through four. And I also think being a little more vocal, as I was in Miami. I’m not too vocal off the court, but I think on the court is a little different for me. I speak up a lot, and I just like to figure things out and I love to collaborate with my teammates. I want to try to build leadership and intangibles as well, obviously, going into my sixth year and having been on certain stages and had certain experiences. I’ll try to combine all that and instill all that in whatever role I’m playing.”
But is he a true Philly fit? While Martin’s role will more closely resemble the departed Nicolas Batum’s, Tobias Harris departing for his second stint in Detroit helped Morey have the necessary cap space to sign a better-fitting player. Harris was never truly embraced by this city. The grit-per-dollar ratio simply worked against Harris and the fans couldn’t get fully behind him. But perhaps Martin’s tenacity (and bargain $8M per year salary) will endear him more to this town.
“It’s gritty. I think that’s just kind of how I play,” Martin said. “I think I said it when I first got here: it’s just kind of a by-any-means necessary type of mentality. I think that’s what I bring to the team and my role. … I’ve been on the other side, coming here and playing against Philly and seeing how rowdy it can get. … That’s right up my alley, so I’m excited to be a part of that and be on the good end of it.”
His former teammate in Miami, Kyle Lowry, is certainly excited to reunite with Martin in Philly.
“I think [Martin] is going to have a phenomenal impact,” Lowry told reporters at media day. “When he got to Miami, that first year there, he was on a two-way contract. He went from a two-way to a standard contract, to earning another contract, to earning another contract. That just shows the adaptability and the hard work that he puts in. He’s never satisfied with just doing one or two things. He’s always trying to push who he is to the next level. And I think he still has some things to prove. He’s going to bring a fight, he’s going to bring some attitude, he’s going to bring another voice. He’s not going to back down from anybody. He’s going to tell the truth how it is.”
The Sixers are hoping Martin’s experience, among others, will guide them this season. We’ve made some predictions for the upcoming season. But one I’ll throw in: Nurse and the fans are going to really like Caleb Martin.