Shortly after his second NBA season concluded, Rockets forward KJ Martin reportedly saw the writing on the wall and inquired about a trade once Houston secured the No. 3 overall draft pick in the 2022 NBA draft lottery. That top-three placement put the Rockets in position to draft a potential franchise cornerstone in the frontcourt.
Today, with Houston having ultimately drafted two frontcourt players (Auburn’s Jabari Smith and LSU’s Tari Eason) in the 2022 first round, Martin’s concerns over playing time clearly weren’t unfounded.
According to Kelly Iko of The Athletic, that may soon lead to Martin’s request being granted by general manager Rafael Stone. Iko writes:
