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Many tend to overlook the behind-the-scenes aspects of NBA player trades, but Kenyon Martin Sr. was visibly moved by his son's involvement in the James Harden trade.
During the offseason, the LA Clippers brought in Martin Jr. from the Houston Rockets as part of a five-team trade. This marked a hometown return for the southern California native.
However, at around 2 a.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, it was reported that the Clippers traded Martin Jr., Marcus Morris, Robert Covington, Nicolas Batum, 2026 and 2028 first-rounders, two second-rounders and a pick swap to the Philadelphia 76ers for Harden and PJ Tucker.
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During an episode of Gilbert Arenas' "Gil's Arena" show, Kenyon Martin Sr. shared the emotional experience of his son being traded, providing insight into the personal side of the situation.
“I never dealt with, as a player for one. Besides, it was about the money, but not three games into the season, no s**t like this,” he said.
“Having to break this news to the little ones that are excited when KJ comes by. It’s that that people don’t understand…or to put the words without being emotional about it. But that's a good thing, man. It's really a good thing. And I'm excited for him, man,” he added.
The older Martin's emotional breakdown while sharing his experience as a father touched the hearts of fans.
Even though the NBA is a professional enterprise, it's heart-wrenching to witness the emotional responses of players' families when they are traded, especially when it means being moved far from their homes.
Looking at the careers of Kenyon Martin Sr. and Kenyon Martin Jr.
Kenyon Martin Sr. played in the NBA for 15 years. He played seven seasons for the Denver Nuggets, four seasons for the New Jersey Nets, two seasons for the New York Knicks, and one season apiece for the LA Clippers and the Milwaukee Bucks.
The first overall pick in the 2000 NBA Draft, Martin Sr. averaged 12.3 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.9 assists in his career. He was part of the All-Rookie First Team in 2001 and was named an All-Star in 2004.
Meanwhile, Martin Jr. was selected by the Sacramento Kings as the 52nd overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft. He was shortly traded to the Houston Rockets in return for cash considerations and a future second-round pick.
In the 2022-23 season, Martin Jr. had a breakout performance after assuming the role of a full-time starter following Eric Gordon's trade. He played in all 82 of the Rockets' games, including 49 starts, in his third NBA season.
He achieved personal bests in points per game (12.7), field goal percentage (.572), rebounds per game (5.5), and minutes per game (28.0) that season.
Martin Jr. will face tough competition to secure a spot in the 76ers' rotation, but he will have the opportunity to contribute to a successful team.
