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The 76ers have signed former Nets guard Tyrese Martin to a two-way contract
The Philadelphia 76ers appear to be enjoying a return to form after a slow start to the season. With Joel Embiid continuing to look more and more healthy, the Sixers have begun to win more games. As they return from the All-Star break, the team has a 30-24 record, which is currently good for sixth place in the Eastern Conference.
The goal for Philly down the stretch of the season will be to avoid the Play-In Tournament, and in an effort to do that, the front office has reinforced the roster after putting together a fairly quiet body of work at the trade deadline. With Cam Payne and Jabari Walker reportedly signing deals with the team earlier this week, it sounds like former Brooklyn Nets guard Tyrese Martin will also be joining Philadelphia for the remainder of the season.
76ers Sign Tyrese Martin to Two-Way Contract
Once the Sixers convert Jabari Walker to a standard NBA contract, they intend to sign Tyrese Martin to a two-way deal to fill their open two-way slot, per source.
Simply put, the 76ers front office didn’t exactly make the sort of moves they were expected to make the trade deadline. Instead of adding to their roster, the two main moves the team made saw them trade away Jared McCain and Eric Gordon. While neither of them were major factors in the rotation, seeing the team miss an opportunity to get Embiid and Tyrese Maxey more help didn’t exactly sit well with fans.
With roster spots open, though, the Sixers are taking a flier on a couple of players. That includes Payne, who has spent the year playing for Partizan Belgrade in Serbia, and Walker, who had been a two-way player for Philly throughout the first half of the season. Once Walker signs an NBA deal, though, that will open up another two-way spot for the 76ers.
That spot will be used on Martin, who suited up in 37 games for the Nets before getting waived by the team earlier this month. Martin’s numbers are decent (7.3 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 1.9 APG, 39.2 FG%), but his poor efficiency from the field has prevented him from earning more minutes. Despite that, Martin will now have a shot to carve out a role with Philadelphia during the remainder of the season.
“Once the Sixers convert Jabari Walker to a standard NBA contract, they intend to sign Tyrese Martin to a two-way deal to fill their open two-way slot, per source,” Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports reported in a post on X.
76ers Looking to Lock Up Playoff Spot
GettyJoel Embiid #21 and Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers speak during the first quarter against the Houston Rockets at the Wells Fargo Center on January 15, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Martin doesn’t figure to play a major role for the 76ers, but he’s shown flashes of potential early in his career, which made him a player Philadelphia was looking to take a longer look at. With Paul George currently serving a 25-game suspension, Philly needs more guys to step in and eat minutes in their rotation. Now, Martin could fill that role on certain nights where the Sixers need more bodies.
Right now, the 76ers are currently on track to earn a playoff spot, rather than having to participate in the Play-In Tournament, which would be a huge win for the team. They still have a lot of work to do, though, and that will start on Thursday night when they square off against the Atlanta Hawks at 7 p.m. ET.
Owen Crisafulli Owen Crisafulli is a Breaking News Writer at Heavy. In addition to writing for Heavy, Owen works as a Content Producer for More Views Media. His work has also appeared on ClutchPoints, The Sporting News, Athlon Sports, Basketball Network, and FanSided, where he shared his insights on a variety of sports topics primarily surrounding the NFL, NBA, and MLB. More about Owen Crisafulli
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