Kevin Martin Article on ESPN Insider...

[Lawrence Funderburke]

About his "most improved" status.

Can someone with access post it?

 

[Elise10]

Go here for access:

http://www.nba.com/media/kings/martin.pdf

Kings.com has done it for us.

One of the hardest parts of evaluating young NBA talent is figuring out which players will take the steps to make themselves better and which ones won't.

I call this the "Karl Malone factor," after the former Utah forward, who was so maniacal about his workout regimen, he was against all odds a far better player at 35 than he was at 25.

It's not an easy attribute to find. Teams do all kinds of psychological profiling and background checks and whatnot to try to figure out just what's under a player's hood, but in the end this part involves more than a little guesswork. In some instances it's not just a matter of work ethic -- it's also about figuring how much of their potential remains untapped.

For instance, the Sacramento Kings used a late first-round pick in the 2004 draft on a little-known guard from Western Carolina named Kevin Martin. Martin had been a big-time scorer on his small stage, but he seemed to have an odd game for the pros. He was skinny and had a goofy-looking outside shot, he wasn't a great ball handler, and he ran funny. He shot 38.5 percent from the floor and 65.5 percent from the line as a rookie, and pretty much everyone wrote him off as another late firstround flier who'd spend most of his guaranteed three-year deal on the pine before vanishing into the ether.

But Martin kept improving. As he kept practicing that goofy-looking jumper it started finding the net with more and more frequency, and as his outside game became more of a threat he started to use his quickness to breeze by defenders. Surprisingly, he emerged as a force off the Kings' bench last season and posted one of the league's highest true shooting percentage marks.

Still, that couldn't possibly have prepared us for what's happened this season. As a result of his hard work, Martin isn't just a nice role player anymore -- he's a star. Martin is pumping in 21.6 points per game to keep the Kings afloat, despite the slow start of Mike Bibby and the continued immaturity of Ron Artest. With each passing game, the debate over whether it's Bibby's team or Artest's team grows more absurd -- it's Martin's team, fools, and we'd appreciate it if you'd kindly get out of the way. (By the
way, I know Artest got a career high last night, but I also know that he got it because Isiah guarded him with a power forward the entire game, and that it will only encourage him to take more horrible shots.)

Martin's game doesn't involve rampant gunning. Amazingly, the TSP that seemed so flukishly high a season ago has soared even higher this season. He's shooting 49.9 percent from the floor, 44.1 percent on 3-pointers, and 90.9 percent from the line, for a 65.1 TSP that ranks fourth in the league. His stroke still isn't textbook, but repetition has made him ridiculously accurate. Look at those numbers again -- the picture it paints is of a more athletic version of Reggie Miller.

As a result, Martin's player efficiency rating has jumped from 14.90 last season to 22.23 this season.

Only two shooting guards -- Michael Redd and Dwyane Wade -- rate higher. And that leap comes on top of the similar jump from 8.75 to 14.90 he made in his second season.

By this point, it probably goes without saying that I think Martin has been the league's most improved player. Nonetheless, several players have given him a run for his money in one of the most crowded MIP fields in years. Unlike last season, when pretty much anyone who was paying attention was compelled to pull the lever for Boris Diaw, there are plenty of viable candidates.

 

[Bricklayer]

Oh lord. Hollinger and his PER again.

Well, regardless, Kevin is definitely one of the top MIP candidates, and less gimmicky authors than Hollinger have taken note.

 

[Lawrence Funderburke]

Thanks for posting that link!! I'll take any positive national media coverage we can get, these days.

 

[Cal-Kings]

Interesting that the article mentions Matt Barnes. I was wondering if he shouldn't get the MIP. That's if he continues to shoot like this.

I mean, how improved is it to be absolutely nobody, shooting nothing, a last minute signing, and then shoot like he's doing now for Nellie.

Martin improved because he's getting more time. I think Kevin has always been this good.

But Barnes! Talk about out from nowhere!

 

[slugking50]

Hollinger was on Kings Talk in the first hour. Talked alot about Kevin. Mentioned Matt Barnes. Was a good interview.

Holinger talked about how a friend of his and Kevins, David Thorpe(Kevins Trainer I believe), Said that Mr Thorpe told him that Kevin would have a breakout year. Hollinger thought that Kevin was shooting insane and he wouldnt be able to keep it up. He added that Kevin had and he was pretty impressed.

 

[Widowmaker2k]

Yeah, Kevin is awesome. It's still a little early to say that he's a star, or that this is his team, but the future looks very bright for him. It's nice that he's getting national recognition, even if it is Hollinger.

 

[Fear the Putin]

hes only getting better....still learning the tricks and what you can and cannot do...what you can and cannot get away with, etc.
Garcia has the ability to improve like Kevin....if he becomes Sacramento's version of Shane Battier, that will be incredible...

 

[Vlade4GM]

hes only getting better....still learning the tricks and what you can and cannot do...what you can and cannot get away with, etc.
Garcia has the ability to improve like Kevin....if he becomes Sacramento's version of Shane Battier, that will be incredible...

i could see him becoming a battier type with a little less defensive ability and better passing.

 

[venom_7]

Battier? Battier is just a solid defender who facilitates and can spot shoot. He doesn't do much to create his own shot. Martin, on the other hand, can stay in front of his man, while not a lockdown defender, he does the job adequately. Martin can also get a runner in the lane anytime he wants. While it is ridiculous to expect Martin to double his production every year such as he has, I think he could average 25 points on a playoff team, and he could plateau at a Reggie Miller type. Hopefully, he does do that and like Reggie, stays on 1 team his whole career.

 

[fnordius]

But Barnes! Talk about out from nowhere!

I think that Barnes deserves the same award that Gerald Wallace deserved last year: "Most improved player that the Kings organization decided wasn't worth keeping."

 

[SacTownKid]

I was just thinking the other day how Kevin is starting to remind me a bit of Reggie Miller. Except more athletic of course.

 

[swisshh]

I think that Barnes deserves the same award that Gerald Wallace deserved last year: "Most improved player that the Kings organization decided wasn't worth keeping."

I think they would have resigned Barnes after tradng him if the team didn't have such a logjam at the position already. Where would Barnes get minutes with Martin, Artest, Garcia and Salmons already on the team? It's odd, we had a lack of true swingmen for years and now we're overrun with 6'7 guys.

 

[Dreadnought]

"With each passing game, the debate over whether it's Bibby's team or Artest's team grows more absurd -- it's Martin's team, fools, and we'd appreciate it if you'd kindly get out of the way."

Haha, I love that.

 

[Bricklayer]

"With each passing game, the debate over whether it's Bibby's team or Artest's team grows more absurd -- it's Martin's team, fools, and we'd appreciate it if you'd kindly get out of the way."

Haha, I love that.

I didn't, for the simple reason that I was picturing Ron Artest reading that.