Given their place as the only team yet to have made a single move in free agency, the Golden State Warriors have been linked to just about every player who remains available on the market.
However, a new name did seemingly pop up out of nowhere on Friday, with NBA insider Jake Fischer reporting on the Warriors’ potential interest in unrestricted free agent Cody Martin.
The veteran wing finished last season with the Phoenix Suns after spending over five years with the Charlotte Hornets, but Golden State would be misguided in making themselves Martin’s next NBA destination.
Warriors should absolutely avoid signing Cody Martin
Along with the presumed signings of Al Horford, De’Anthony Melton and the return of Gary Payton II, Fischer reports that Martin is among a group of other targets that also includes Seth Curry and Malcolm Brogdon.
“Another name on the Warriors’ list of bench targets, sources say, is Cody Martin. The veteran swingman has received interest from numerous playoff teams this summer but is said to be waiting to see whether an opportunity with Golden State proves to be his most attractive option,” Fischer wrote.
Martin has built his career as a tough, defensive-minded player who leaves it all on the floor, theoretically making him a player that Steve Kerr would like in the rotation or at least as an option at the end of the bench.
However, in reality that’s the last type of player the Warriors actually need, particularly if they’re set on bringing back Payton while also holding confidence in Melton returning to somewhere near his best after a torn ACL.
Golden State need more offense and specifically more shooting. While Martin has been a willing 3-point taker in recent years, he hasn’t been much of a maker at just 30.8% across the course of his six-year career.
That included shooting just 11.1% from 3-point range in 14 games with the Suns to end last season, having averaged 3.7 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.1 assists while the team was a -51 in his 206 minutes on the floor.
Standing at 6’5″, it’s not as if Martin brings major size either even if he does stand slightly taller than Melton, Payton, Curry and Brogdon. It’s hard to see where the 29-year-old would possibly find minutes, particularly if Golden State keep hold of Moses Moody and Buddy Hield as expected rather than use their mid-tier salaries for trade purposes.
The Warriors would be far better adding Curry’s shooting, Brogdon’s ball-handling and playmaking, or even someone like Ben Simmons as controversial as that may be, with Martin someone the franchise doesn’t really need based on the current roster.