The Thunder have lost free-agent small forward Kevin Martin to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Martin has verbally agreed to sign a contract for four years and around $30 million, according to ESPN.com citing league sources. Martin will not be able to officially sign the contract until July 10 when a league-wide moratorium will be lifted on all business.
According to sources, Martin (14.0 points per game, 42 percent 3PT) had always planned to leave the Thunder. Compared to other offers Martin could have gotten during the free agency process, any offer from the Thunder would look pale in comparison. Also, the former Houston Rocket wanted a chance to team up with Minnesota head coach Rick Adelman one more time. Adelman helped oversee a portion of Martin’s career as a Sacramento King, where he first became a prolific scorer.
Another former Adelman-coached player, forward Chase Budinger, has agreed to a deal with the T-Wolves. According to the Associated Press citing two sources, Budinger—also a former Rocket—plans to sign a three-year, $16 million contract with Minnesota. Budinger only played in 23 games last season after suffering a torn meniscus, according to CBS Sports. The University of Arizona product averaged 9.4 points per game and shot 41 percent from the field.
Budinger and Martin could play key roles for a Minnesota team that seemed to be on its way to a playoff berth last season before injuries to star power forward Kevin love and star point guard Ricky Rubio. Martin and Budinger are above average shooters and are extremely familiar with Adelman’s corner offense. They can also play shooting guard, which finally gives the T-Wolves some size at the position— something they did not last season have in Luke Ridnour (6’2”) and J.J. Barea (6’0”).
