NBA Rumors: Caleb Martin Turned Down $65M Heat Contract Before $32M Deal with 76ers
July 6, 2024
Caleb Martin's free agency has come to an end after agreeing to a contract with the Philadelphia 76ers on a deal that was reportedly worth roughly half by total value of what the Miami Heat were offering him.
Martin agreed to a four-year, $32 million with the Sixers on Saturday, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski,
According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, Martin rejected a five-year, $65 million offer from the Heat after an "intense" period of negotiations between the two sides.
Barry Jackson @flasportsbuzzThis Heat/Martin negotiation last weekend was quite (shall we say) intense, per 2 sources. Martin camp thought Heat was trying to force him to take what Martin rep thought was below market deal and made that clear. Heat thought this was very good offer (it was) and made that very… <a href="https://t.co/g7hVT6zBVP">https://t.co/g7hVT6zBVP</a>
One reason the 76ers might have offered more appeal to Martin than Miami is his role. Wojnarowski noted the 28-year-old is expected to be in the starting lineup with Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George.
Martin started 88 games across five seasons with the Heat, with 84 starts coming in the past three seasons. He averaged 28.4 minutes per game in 135 appearances since the start of the 2022-23 campaign.
It's been an interesting few months for the Heat coming off a disappointing 2023-24 season.
The most notable thing that has happened was team president Pat Riley essentially shouting down Jimmy Butler after the star forward said the Heat would have defeated the Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs if he had been able to play.
"I thought, 'Is that Jimmy trolling or is that Jimmy serious?'" Riley told reporters on May 6. "If you're not on the court playing against Boston or on the court playing against the New York Knicks, you should keep your mouth shut on the criticism of those teams."
Riley also said the team hadn't discussed an extension for Butler at that point. The 34-year-old can sign a two-year deal worth up to $113 million this offseason.
Per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, Butler has decided to play out next season on his current deal and won't sign an extension with them or another club if he were to get traded.
Charania noted the Heat have shown "no interest" in trading Butler.
The only moves Miami has made in free agency thus far are agreements to bring back Thomas Bryant and Kevin Love and add Alec Burks.
There was only so much the Heat could do with Butler, Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro and Terry Rozier making a combined $137.6 million unless they were going to trade at least one of them.
But the loss of Martin leaves a significant hole in the frontcourt for Riley and head coach Erik Spoelstra to fill. He averaged 10.0 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game in 64 appearances last season.