Former Denver Nuggets and Nets forward Kenyon Martin has agreed to a deal with the Clippers for the mini midi-level, his agent, Andy Miller, confirmed Friday to SNY.tv.
The Los Angeles Times first reported the development.
The 6-foot-9 Martin was originally supposed to wait until his Chinese team, the Xinjiang Tigers, were done playing, but FIBA on Thursday cleared Martin to return to the NBA immediately.
The Knicks, Hawks, Spurs and Lakers were also interested in Martin, who averaged 13.5 points and 7.2 rebounds in 11 NBA seasons.
Several other Americans are still playing in China, including former Knick forward Wilson Chandler and former Nuggets and St. Benedict’s Prep guard J.R. Smith, who on Wednesday dropped 60 points in a Chinese league game, hitting 14 of 18 3-pointers.
Smith is considering the Knicks, Clippers, Lakers, Thunder and Bulls, league sources told SNY.tv.
Asked generally about the guys in China, Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni said Wednesday, “I think those are the things you monitor, yeah, I think those are the things you keep your eye on.
“And what do we have, the $2.5 [million] exception left? And we’ll sit there and look at it. If it makes sense, we’ll do it in a heartbeat. If it doesn’t make sense then we’ll take a pass.”
Photo: L.A. Times
