SAN ANTONIO -- According to a report from ESPN's Marc Stein, the San Antonio Spurs have signed coveted free agent Kevin Martin for the rest of the season, plus the playoffs.
As KENS 5 reported earlier this week, the Spurs were listed among the favorites to sign the hot-shooting free agent after the Minnesota Timberwolves bought out Martin's contract last week. Because Martin agreed to the buyout before the end of February, it means that Martin is eligible to stay on the Spurs roster throughout the playoffs.
Even at 33 years old, Martin was eyed by many top-tier NBA teams to bolster their playoff hopes because of how well he's shot the ball from outside throughout his career.
The Spurs are notorious for limiting starters' minutes during the regular season and relying on their bench. Only LaMarcus Aldridge and Kawhi Leonard are averaging more than 30 minutes per game this season. And, according to a study by ESPN's Neil Paine at Nate Silver's fivethirtyeight.com, the Spurs bench could probably make the playoff on its own.
Gregg Popovich also likes to mix his lineups to exploit weaknesses if he thinks he has a lineup that can bring more value during a particular game. For example, in their most recent game against the New Orleans Pelicans, Pop pulled Tony Parker just two minutes into the game in favor of Patty Mills.
When Craig Sager asked why he did that during TNT's in-game interview, Pop merely responded, "Because I felt like it."
Mills ended up playing more minutes than Parker (27-24) and had a higher plus-minus ratio (+14 to -4). Popovich also experimented with lineups that featured both of them on the court at the same time.
Here is Kevin Martin's shooting chart this season.
Unlike when the Spurs signed Andre Miller, the Martin signing improves their three-point shooting ability for players coming off the bench. He's shooting better from beyond the arc than even Danny Green this season, and is likely to benefit from the teamwork, passing and chemistry of the Spurs compared to previously playing with the 19-43 Minnesota Timberwolves.
