KJ Martin is sure looking like a rotation player

KJ Martin got the start in the Sixers’ penultimate preseason game and continued to have the look of a player that should fit nicely into Nick Nurse’ rotation.

Oftentimes humanity gets lost when you talk about the million-dollar contracts and acclaim that go with being a professional athlete. Sometimes players struggle because they simply aren’t good enough. Other times, there is a very tangible reason for it.

KJ Martin fell into the latter last season. Imagine you’re 22 years old and you just finished the most successful year of your professional career. Then, you get traded to a team in your hometown — an organization your dad played for once upon a time. You go to training camp with that team, get acclimated to the coaching staff and your teammates. You even get four games under your belt.

And then, just as you’re settling in and preparing for the long NBA season, you’re traded for the second time in four months. This time across the country to an organization and region you don’t have much familiarity with at all.

It wasn’t easy for Martin, whose dad Kenyon played 15 NBA seasons. Head coach Nick Nurse has seen it before.

“A lot of guys get shocked when they get traded and move to a city,” Nurse said pregame Wednesday. “He was in that group for awhile — wondering kind of where he was, what happened to him and what was going to happen to him next.”

There also wasn’t much room for Martin to earn minutes. He was traded to the Sixers alongside Nicolas Batum, Marcus Morris and Robert Covington — all NBA veterans who played a similar position.

Combine that with the fact that he was joining a team that had been together through camp, already played three games and had its eyes on being a contender. It was a daunting, uphill battle for a young player.

“I got traded here last year and I’d just gotten traded to the Clippers [from the Rockets] … So it was just a lot,” Martin said postgame. “Coming here, trying to get acclimated and learn their stuff. I feel like they already had a rotation that was set, which makes sense. A team that goes into training camp and is one of the best teams in the East, they’re going to be set with their guys.”

What a difference a year makes.

Martin has received praise from Nurse since training camp and was rewarded with a preseason start Wednesday in the Sixers’ 117-95 home win over the Nets. The 6-foot-6 forward had a strong night, scoring 12 points and adding six rebounds, two assists and a steal in 26 minutes.

Just like his dad, the younger Martin’s elite athleticism and strength are his best attributes. Aside from the signing of Paul George, the most notable thing about the Sixers’ roster upheaval over the past couple seasons is how much more athletic they are.

Nothing drove that point home more than when Martin and Kelly Oubre, Jr. went after the same Tyrese Maxey transition lob attempt in the first quarter.

As you can see on the replay, it sure looked like a nice give-and-go lob opportunity for Martin and Maxey. Oubre admitted postgame that he stole it and that the two elite leapers constantly battle over who can jump higher at practice.

The Sixers went from a dearth of athleticism to guys fighting over lobs and arguing over who can jump higher.

One of the beneficiaries of this roster reconstruction is Maxey. He’d never been a true point guard before and has worked hard on his passing and court vision. Stealing some easy assists with this batch of high flyers should help.

Martin did get a lob of his own a couple minutes later when Maxey found him on a backdoor cut.

These are the types of connections that weren’t possible for Martin last season. He’s now had time to develop chemistry with his All-Star point guard.

“He just tells me he’s going to throw it,” Martin said. “He’s like, ‘I’m just going to throw it by the hoop, so wherever it is, go get it.’ I always tell him that I’m running, and he’s looking for me. He told me today, ‘We can get one of those every single game. … When it’s transition and the defense is kind of lollygagging back, backpedaling, just keep running,’ and he said he’s going to give it to me.”

The best way to describe how Martin looks so far is freer. It doesn’t seem like he’s thinking as much out there, which is allowing his athletic gifts to take over.

“He’s come back just a little bit more confident and sure of things and a little bit more comfortable,” Nurse said. “He did a lot of work on his shooting this summer. He’s kind of a power forward. He’s only (6-foot-6) but he plays kind of a power game at the rim. Very good defender. Lob threat. We’ll see how his shooting has improved if he takes a couple.”

Shooting — the swing skill for just about every player these days. Martin has only attempted one three in the preseason (a miss), but Nurse has mentioned that their practice data shows improvement. It makes sense given it’s something Martin worked hard on this summer. His shot mechanics do look simpler and his release a bit quicker.

Again, things he couldn’t worry about last season when he was simply trying to get his bearings after being traded.

But this year …

“But this year, there was an opportunity that I had going into training camp and knowing what the team needs,” Martin said. “Guys at the three and the four, I’d say it was an opportunity every single day, and I’ll continue to do that.”

When the Sixers signed Martin to a “balloon deal” this offseason, many viewed him as a human trade exception.

Him actually helping the team would make things mighty interesting.