Minnesota Timberwolves: 5 Reasons Why Kevin Martin Has To Go

In an age where efficiency reigns supreme, and volume-induced anecdotal numbers are perceived as merely window dressing, Kevin Martin‘s penchant of annually accumulating 20 points a contest on an ultra-efficient 60-plus percent True Shooting Percentage (which takes into account and weights a player’s field goal percentage, 3-point field goal percentage and free throw percentage) should theoretically serve as a highly sought-after commodity.

However, if you care enough to scour through the vengeful world of basketball forums, you’ll quickly realize K-Mart is, by far, the Minnesota Timberwolves’ most divisive member.

The average Wolves fan curses Martin for his propensity to hold the ball, taking shots away from their precocious core of young wings, and his lackluster effort on the defensive end.

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But, year in and year out — game in and game out — whether he’s starting or coming off the bench, the Zanesville, Ohio, native always seem to lead the team in scoring; usually spearheaded by his affinity to curate an insane amount of free throws and convert a ridiculous array of off-balance jumpers.

Defensively, when tuned-in, K-Mart is actually not as terrible as one would think.

He understands help concepts, and is usually timely with his rotations. Of course, however, he does have a way of taking defensive plays off, which — when combined with his less-than-ideal physical traits — makes him an unmitigated disaster in such instances.

With that being said, as we get a feel for your 2015-16 Minnesota Timberwolves, it becomes abundantly clear that Martin may be the odd man out.

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It’s not that he has regressed as an offensive player — in fact, an argument can be made that K-Mart is still the Wolves’ most consistent and dangerous scoring weapon — it more so has to do with the team’s current roster composition and the franchise’s focus on developing their youth.

On the other hand, Martin himself has been explicit in his opinion that he is still a starter in this league; but at the same time, he has also voiced his allegiance towards the Timberwolves franchise.

With playoff-hopeful teams like the Memphis Grizzlies and New Orleans Pelicans struggling out of the gates, with the former having immense troubles creating offense out on the perimeter, K-Mart’s expertise could be proven valuable for such squads.

It’s not just Martin’s skill set could be better served elsewhere, the Timberwolves, as a franchise, are headed in an uncharted direction.

To be more specific, here are the top five reasons why it’s time for Minnesota and Kevin Martin to part ways.

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