Ronnie Brewer is no longer a New York Knick after getting traded for a second-round pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Now, rumors are rolling of the Knicks' interest in free agent, Kenyon Martin who has yet to lace up and sign a deal with any teams in the NBA in 2012-2013.
Brewer was handling business with the Knicks early on in the season, but his performance suffered down the road. Martin could give the Knicks a boost despite his age. Getting Martin makes sense for the Knicks and here's why.
The Knicks now have an extra roster spot after the Brewer trade. That's the first reason why Martin makes sense. They won't have to trade anybody anymore and by keeping Iman Shumpert they remain somewhat young.
Secondly, the Knicks are injured and though their old men are getting time to recover, Martin has fresh legs and could help Amar'e Stoudemire with the second squad coming off the bench.
The Knicks could get a boost from Martin on defense and he can knock down some shots as well. With Tyson Chandler, Stoudemire and Martin protecting the key, the Knicks could potentially have one of the best defensive front courts in the game.
Now, is the deal going to happen? Who knows, but the key is for the Knicks to keep the door open for Martin. He knows about playoff basketball and he's always been a competitor. Yes, he's also been under the microscope for his ...interesting behavior, but with Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith in New York, the also former Denver Nugget shouldn't have a problem adapting to the Big Apple.
The Knicks started the 2012-2013 season in impressive fashion, but they've fallen off the map in the previous games. They are currently on a three-game losing streak, but the good news is that they're at least in second place in the Eastern Conference.
In 2012, the last time Martin played in the NBA, he averaged five points, four rebounds and a block per game. His offensive production took a dive, but his defense is still up to par. He's been solely a bench player, which means he will know his role if landing in New York.
