News broke minutes before the Sixers' thrilling win over the Dallas Mavericks that 24-year-old forward KJ Martin was being held out of the game due to a pending trade.
The news, first reported by Kyle Neubeck of PHLY, was followed by the revelation that a specific trade had not yet been cemented, but the team was nearing a deal to find Martin a new home.
Later on Tuesday night, a team source confirmed to PhillyVoice that as things stand now, the team does not expect to receive a player in exchange for Martin. The eventual deal, described by the source, as "a cap management" sort of trade, projects to get the Sixers a hair under the luxury tax threshold.
Trading Martin now does not give the Sixers any advantages when it comes to re-signing Guerschon Yabusele in the summer. His salary of just over $8 million in 2025-26 will not be guaranteed until next January, so the team could waive him at any time if it helps them duck below the league's first apron and open up the largest form of the mid-level exception to solidify their chances of retaining Yabusele. While shedding Martin's salary might have been an inevitability in any world in which Yabusele remains in Philadelphia long-term, there is no extra advantage to doing so now.
However, there is one advantage for the team if it is able to duck the tax this season. NBA teams which are repeat taxpayers are eventually faced with much harsher penalties when they clear the various tax thresholds. Ending the season below the tax would restart the Sixers' repeater clock.
If the Sixers are indeed going to trade Martin in a salary dump — and do not do so as part of a three- or four-team deal — five teams stand out as clear options to take a shot on a player with clear upside. All salary cap figures come from Yossi Gozlan's capsheets.com, a resource I use on a daily basis year-round and an hourly basis in the days leading up to the deadline.
MORE: Gozlan breaks down Sixers' options with Yabusele in FA, trade
Toronto Raptors
The Raptors desiring to take on other teams' unwanted salary has been one of the open secrets during trade season, and they can do so thanks to their open roster spot and unused mid-level exception, which can enable them to absorb up to $12.8 million in salary. Toronto is also about $9.8 million below the luxury tax, so they could absorb Martin without becoming taxpayers.
During the many years in which the Raptors have been led by Masai Ujiri and Bobby Webster in the front office, the organization has had an affinity for athletic wings with defensive versatility. Martin fits that bill perfectly, as a tremendous athlete who can defend at least three positions. The only sure things in Toronto's wing rotation are Scottie Barnes and R.J. Barrett; they would have plenty of minutes to offer Martin in the months to come, especially if they move veteran Bruce Brown as many expect.
Washington Wizards
The NBA-worst Wizards currently have about $11 million of wiggle room below the tax and first apron, but that number could change as they are expected to move multiple key veterans. They also have their $12.8 million mid-level exception untouched, and could provide Martin with significant minutes moving forward. Because of their clean cap sheet moving forward, the Wizards could easily keep Martin around on his non-guaranteed $8 million salary next season if he impresses in a trial run over the last two months of the season.
The Wizards currently have a full roster, but could easily waive one of a few players not receiving consistent minutes without any consequential penalty.
Sacramento Kings
The Kings dramatically reshaped their roster over the weekend, trading All-Star point guard De'Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs in a three-team deal which netted them Zach LaVine from the Chicago Bulls. The Kings added substantial financial flexibility on top of a collection of draft picks, which makes them an enticing option for Martin.
Sacramento's need for versatile defenders has been obvious since the beginning of the season, and replacing Fox with LaVine only exacerbates those issues. The Kings are noticeably thin on the wing, making Martin a perfect fit in terms of skills and position.
Not only do the Kings now have two open roster spots, but they also have two different exceptions with which they can absorb Martin — their $12.8 million mid-level exception, and a trade exception worth over $16.8 million generated during the three-team Fox trade which also saw them shed Kevin Huerter's remaining contract.
This has the Kings about $10.5 million below the luxury tax, which they will likely treat as a hard cap of sorts. Another thing worth noting: the Kings front office is run by Monte McNair, who spent well over a decade working for Sixers President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey when Morey ran the Houston Rockets. Morey and McNair remain very close.
MORE: Breaking down Caleb Martin-Quentin Grimes trade
Detroit Pistons
The Pistons are the only team in the NBA that actually has true cap space, and they have just over $14 million of it, enabling them to absorb more money than a team typically would in a win-now trade, absorb another team's unwanted salary or both.
How Martin would fit into their short-term picture is unclear, as Ausar Thompson and Ron Holland are two recent lottery picks with similar frames and more ominous concerns as three-point shooters. But an asset is an asset, and the same way the Pistons plucked former Sixers backup center Paul Reed off waivers last summer, they could see this as an opportunity to add value to their war chest.
Oklahoma City Thunder
Unlike the first three teams, the Thunder have a smaller form of the mid-level exception because, like the Sixers, they utilized cap space this summer. Their mid-level exception, which has not yet been touched, allows them to absorb up to $7,983,000 in salary. Conveniently, Martin's salary this season is $7,975,000. Oklahoma City is currently $10.3 million below the luxury tax and has an open roster spot.
The Thunder do not have a rotation spot ready for Martin; they are the deepest team in the league and possibly the very best team in the NBA. But there are pathways to Martin being a valuable piece for them: Oklahoma City's two centers, Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein, have missed plenty of time this season. Martin is capable of slotting up into a small-ball five role if needed. And while their roster has a slew of quality wings, Martin's top-tier athleticism gives him a distinct trait that those players do not have.
Martin is at his best when making short roll passing decisions in advantage situations. He has made teams pay for blitzing his good friend Tyrese Maxey, and could work towards creating a similarly strong on-court rapport with MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander if given the chance to develop some familiarity.
There is just not much of an opportunity cost for the Thunder to take on Martin, particularly because they can waive his non-guaranteed salary at any time next summer. Or, if Oklahoma City ends up looking to swing a major trade after the season, they could use Martin's expiring deal to help make the money work.
MORE: Sixers trade deadline primer
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