The 76ers are setting themselves up to be a top rival to the Celtics in the Eastern Conference next season. Their latest Saturday signing should add more intensity to one of the NBA’s oldest rivalries. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com reports former Heat forward Caleb Martin has agreed to a four-year deal worth over $32 million with the Philadelphia 76ers. The final year of the contract will be a player option per Michael Scotto of Hoopshype. The Sixers also waived backup big man Paul Reed to create the necessary cap space to sign Martin.
Martin has long been a thorn in the side of the Celtics over the past few seasons with the Heat. He shot 48.9 percent from 3-point range in the 2023 East Finals against the Celtics and remained a bright spot for Miami in their first-round loss this year to Boston, shooting 44 percent from 3-point range while averaging 11.6 points per game. Martin also took plenty of heat for a hard table top foul on Jayson Tatum in Game 1 of the NBA Playoffs that drew the ire of Celtics fans and some analysts.
Martin now joins a reloaded Sixers squad around Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey that appears poised to make a run at the Celtics. Philadelphia hoarded cap space this offseason to sign Paul George away from the Clippers. They’ve also added some supporting pieces around the wing in Andre Drummond, Eric Gordon, Kelly Oubre and now Martin as a likely starting power forward.
The move to Philadelphia does not come without controversy after some apparent mismanagement from Martin’s reps. Martin declined a $7.1 million option with the Heat for the 2024-25 season to hit free agency and according to multiple reporters out of Miami, turned down a five-year extension that would have paid him a total of $65 million if he opted into his $7.1 million player option with the Heat.
Instead, Martin’s reps thought he could do better on the open market but it appears no bigger deals were available. The Heat did have full Bird Rights available to make a bigger offer to Martin once he opted out but avoided doing so because of the limitations of the second apron and luxury tax concerns. With some potential options on the free agent market drying up, Martin settled for a slight raise with the 76ers for next season but got far short of the reported guaranteed money the Heat offered ahead of free agency.
The move weakens one Celtics rival in Miami since they have no means of replacing Martin in free agency beyond veteran minimum contracts. However, the 76ers look like the far bigger threat to the Celtics right now than the Heat after this offseason, with Martin’s signing putting them in a better spot to compete with Boston at the top of the East.
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