In time for the second half of the season, the New York Knicks have signed veteran Forward Kenyon Martin to a 10-day risk free contract. It has been reported that the Knicks do hope to keep him on the roster for the rest of the season.
This is a great move for the Knicks, who didn’t make any kind of splash as far as trades during the deadline. Martin is a veteran in this league, and while the Knicks have no lack of veteran leadership and experience, he’s another body that has been there and done that. Kenyon has played 100 playoff games in his 12-year career, for the Nets, Nuggets and Clippers, starting 87 of them. In those games, he’s averaged 13.7 PPG, 7.0 RPG and 1.2 BPG. The Knicks hope he can play a big role for them if (and when) they reach the playoffs this season.
Martin also helps shore up the Knick defense, which has fallen off dramatically throughout the course of the season. He has always been a tough, physical defensive player, so look for that to be his focus moving forward. He has at times been known to be somewhat of a hothead, but the Knicks are hoping that he has matured throughout his career, and that that is not something they will have to worry about.
Additionally, with Rasheed Wallace and Marcus Camby out for another… well, who really knows anymore, Martin is another veteran big man who can fill their minutes. Kenyon Martin won’t necessarily right the ship for the Knicks, but he can, and should certainly help.
