Did Kevin Martin read my last column or something?
It seems like ever since I wrote my column in the last issue, the momentum has flipped from James Harden being the potential MVP of the league, to being an average starter for the Houston Rockets, and Kevin Martin being an average backup, to a near-better replica of Harden when he was the sixth man for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
As of the release of our last issue, Houston Rockets starting shooting guard Harden has averaged 24.1 PPG, 5.4 APG, .427 FG %, .341 3PT %, .834 FT %, and 4.1 RPG in 38.8 minutes per game.
His stats aren’t as they were projected to be when he started the season hot by putting up career highs like when he scored 45 against the Atlanta Hawks in early November.
Meanwhile, Oklahoma City Thunder sixth man Martin, is averaging 16.1 PPG, 1.7 APG, .462 FG %, .477 3PT %, .928 FT %, and 2.4 RPG in 19.7 minutes per game.
Harden tops Martin in points per game, assists per game, and rebounds, but that would be expected, considering he plays almost 10 minutes more per game than Martin.
Another thing to consider is Martin is a seasoned veteran (in his eighth year) who doesn’t need to be in the limelight to produce, unlike his counterpart Harden, because he plays along side Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.
Meanwhile, Harden is the main focus on a Houston Rockets team that is in a rebuilding stage of their franchise.
The Thunder, without a star caliber player in Harden, can focus more on what Durant and Westbrook do, which is put up league-high stats and winning games, while maintaining the same presence on the bench that is needed late in games when Oklahoma City’s stars rest.
Don’t forget about the two first-round picks Oklahoma City will receive in next year’s draft. Whoever the Thunder take, will just add to the depth on their bench, unless someone with great potential falls to them, then they would really be the winners of this trade.
I’m not saying Kevin Martin will win Sixth Man of the Year or anything, but I almost want to say the Thunder won the trade with the Rockets.
If you put aside who won and who lost the trade though, and you have one of the top trades in a while, with it working out well for both sides.
Some would say it even overshadows the Dwight Howard to Los Angeles Lakers trade.
