As the free agent market is still dominated by Russell Westbrook and Ben Simmons, fans of the LA Clippers figured these would be the only two notable players who used to play in red, white, and blue that had a chance at beginning the 2025-26 season in the open market. Landry Shamet was available, but the New York Knicks realized they needed him and swooped him up right away.
This list could have dwindled, as the Houston Rockets gained the sudden need for a veteran point guard with Fred VanVleet sidelined because of an ACL tear. Instead, Simmons and Westbrook will have extra company following the latest reports around the league.
Furthermore, KJ Martin, an athletic wing player who once played for the Clippers, was recently waived by the Utah Jazz. This news is shocking, as Martin was once a double-digit scorer; yet, one of the first insiders to report the news was Michael Scotto of ‘HoopsHype.’
The Utah Jazz have waived forward KJ Martin. He appeared in 19 games (nine starts) last season with Utah, averaging 6.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 22.7 minutes per game. pic.twitter.com/MXUoeTY1bo
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) September 23, 2025
On the contrary, Martin could be quickly picked up on a contending roster in the middle of the season. Thus, multiple teams will be interested in giving him a competitive opportunity.
KJ Martin is still immensely talented, despite his missed opportunity with the Utah Jazz
The LA Clippers landed KJ Martin in a massive five-team trade, directly after he averaged 12.7 points for the Houston Rockets, shooting 56.9% from the floor in 82 games, a remarkable full season of action.
The Clippers had plans for Martin, but after two games, the Philadelphia 76ers requested to receive his talents as part of a package for James Harden. LA wanted another superstar, so they set their priorities straight and sent the six-foot-six forward to Philadelphia.
Following 82 games with the 76ers, he was traded to the Detroit Pistons, who re-routed him to the Utah Jazz in a five-team trade, the second of his career.
This was supposed to be the environment for Martin to thrive in, as Utah’s focus last season, following their acknowledgement that the playoffs were a goal for next season, was to evaluate which players should be left in their young core.
Waiving Martin was a signal to Jazz fans that he did not pass the evaluations. Now, as a free agent, he may sign with a contender in the middle of the season. This could lead to his first experience playing postseason minutes, which is always beneficial for a five-year veteran.