The Caleb Martin era with the 76ers was short-lived.
The Sixers traded the forward to the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday in exchange for Quentin Grimes and a 2025 second-round pick, sources confirmed. The second-rounder originally belonged to the Sixers and had been acquired by Dallas. The move came seven months after Martin signed a four-year, $35 million contract with the Sixers.
In Grimes, the Sixers acquired a 6-foot-5 shooting guard who can provide depth. He averaged 10.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 47 games with 12 starts this season in Dallas. The 24-year-old Houston native is shooting a career-best 39.8% on three-pointers this season.
Grimes was drafted by the Los Angeles Clippers with the 25th pick of the 2021 draft and traded to the New York Knicks. After spending 2½ seasons in New York, he was traded to the Detroit Pistons on Feb. 8, 2023. The Pistons, in turn, traded him to the Mavs on July 6.
In his fourth season, Grimes comes to Philadelphia with career averages of 8.9 points and 2.8 rebounds in addition to being 37.6% career three-point shooter.
The Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings were considering a potential trade for Martin before he was shipped to the Mavs, according to a source. The source also said the Miami Heat were contemplating reacquiring their former key role player.
Martin came to the Sixers with huge expectations. The team tabbed the 6-5, 205-pounder as their undersized power forward to play alongside the Big Three of Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Paul George along with role player Kelly Oubre Jr.
» READ MORE: Now is not time for Sixers to trade Paul George, who has drawn attention from Hawks, Warriors
However, Martin has been hampered by injuries for most of the season. He missed the last 12 games and 17 altogether while averaging 9.1 points and 4.4 rebounds, shooting 37.9% on three-pointers.
His best game of the season came against the Boston Celtics on Christmas Day. The 29-year-old had 23 points on 8 of 11 shooting, including going 7-for-9 on three-pointers.
This moves also ensures that the Sixers will have a pick in June’s draft. If their first-round pick does not fall in the first six selections, it will go to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Sixers have a second-round pick before they made this move.
One interesting thing about the trade is the Sixers entertain Dallas Tuesday night at the Wells Fargo Center.
