Celtics almost signed Kenyon Martin but passed

Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports

Boston could have used a big that can play both ends of the floor, but they passed on the opportunity to sign Kenyon Martin.

Kenyon Martin was there waiting for any NBA team to sign him this offseason and into the season. When the Celtics looked the other way, I figured there was something they knew that we didn't. Either he was out of shape, declining in skills, or a head case that wouldn't be welcomed in the locker room. Perhaps the last point is true but we'll never know because he's a Knick now. He's also averaging 9.5 points and 5.7 rebounds a game. He's started the last 7 games for New York in place of the injured Amare Stoudamire and he had back to back games against the Raprtors of 19 and 18 points.

So how close were the Celtics to signing this guy?

"It was real close," Martin told me before last night's game. "Like, the deal was almost done. From what I understood, [coach] Doc [Rivers] wanted me and the players wanted me, but in the 11th hour …" In the 11th hour what? "They didn't pull the trigger," Martin said. "And I'm not talking a few days ago or even a few weeks ago. This was a couple of months ago. "So now I'm here and I'm going to make them pay -- I'm going to make all the teams that passed on me pay."

So what was it Doc, why didn't you sign Martin?

WEEI

"I don't know. We looked at all the guys, we were still looking at guards at the time. So we were in no hurry at the time for a big. We were looking for more a big of size, if you know what I mean. And by the time we got around to it, he was gone."
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MacMullan: C's were close with Martin

By ESPNBoston.com

Kenyon Martin thought he'd be in Celtics green this season.

Just how hard did the Celtics consider adding Kenyon Martin? From Jackie MacMullan:

The New York roster will include one Kenyon Martin, who signed with the Knicks last month but was sure he'd be wearing Celtics green this season.

"It was real close," Martin told me before last night's game. "Like, the deal was almost done. From what I understood, [coach] Doc [Rivers] wanted me and the players wanted me, but in the 11th hour …"

In the 11th hour what?

"They didn't pull the trigger," Martin said. "And I'm not talking a few days ago or even a few weeks ago. This was a couple of months ago.

"So now I'm here and I'm going to make them pay -- I'm going to make all the teams that passed on me pay."

It's hard to fathom why the Celtics passed on a guy who submitted nine points and five boards Tuesday night and whose defensive energy is precisely what is missing in Boston's lineup. Perhaps they were scared off by his creaky knees. Maybe it was the whispers out of Denver that his stay there was divisive.

Either way, they could have kicked the tires on Martin for a 10-day contract for short change. The Knicks signed K-Mart to a prorated deal that is worth less than what Boston is paying Keyon Dooling to be a "coaching consultant," a job description that has become a bit of a moot point since his friend [Rajon] Rondo went down.


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