Lowry expects former Heat teammate Martin to have a “phenomenal impact” for Sixers originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Kyle Lowry is not the type of person to feign enthusiasm for the cameras.
If he’s unimpressed or irritated, the six-time All-Star point guard won’t hide it.
So when Lowry talks about former Heat teammate Caleb Martin, his praise jumps out.
“I think he’s going to have a phenomenal impact,” Lowry said Monday of Martin. “When he got to Miami, that first year there, he was on a two-way contract. He went from a two-way, to a standard contract, to winning another contract, to win another contract. That just shows the adaptability and the hard work he does.
“He is never satisfied with just one or two things. He is always trying to push who he is to the next level. And I think he still has some things to prove. He’s going to bring fight, he’s going to bring some attitude, he’s going to bring a different voice. He will not back down from anyone. He will tell the truth as it is.”
Those qualities would all be welcome in Martin’s new team.
Sure, the Sixers will naturally look to stars Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George for leadership. And they will respect the accumulated wisdom of veterans like Lowry, Eric Gordon and Reggie Jackson. But Martin’s words should also hold some weight.
The 29-year-old forward played in 45 postseason games during his three years with the Heat and had several great performances during Miami’s last two finals. He averaged 12.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 0.9 steals in the Heat’s 2023 run to the NBA Finals and shot 42.3 percent from three-point range.
Like Lowry, it does not seem that he will dance around difficult subjects in Philadelphia.
“We have a great relationship,” Martin said of Lowry, who he called one of his “big brothers” in July. “I learned a lot from him in a short time in Miami. He is a winner. He knows what it takes to win; he’s been there and he’s done that. He has such a high IQ and he just knows the game. … I saw the immediate impact he had in the middle of the year when he (went) from Miami to here.
“He just affects teams in a positive way. Definitely a guy that you can learn a lot from and that you love to be on the same team as.”
On the court, Martin will likely be tasked with a wide variety of defensive duties. The players he spent a significant amount of time guarding last regular season include Dejounte Murray, Maxey, DeMar DeRozan, Cade Cunningham and Darius Garland.
Kelly Oubre Jr. already floated possible nicknames for himself, Martin and George.
“Endless amount of opportunities for us on the defensive end,” Oubre said. “We are certainly very versatile, skilled, athletic, but the difference is that we all want that challenge. It will be fun to battle with them to see who guards and stops the (opposing player) who is trying to get out. Call us the plumbers … call us the plumbers. It will be fun.”
Moving from Erik Spoelstra to Nick Nurse as his head coach, Martin should be comfortable switching routinely, playing zone, adjusting on the fly and doing jobs that look scary on paper.
“I think just the versatility that I bring,” Martin said. “Not just me, but we have a lot of guys who can play multiple positions. I think that’s what makes us a deep team – and it goes back to being out of position, being able to guard one through four. And I also think to be a little more vocal, since I was in Miami. I’m not too vocal off the court, but I think on the court it’s a little different for me.
“I talk a lot, and I just like to figure things out and I love working with my teammates. I want to try to build leadership and intangibles as well … going into my sixth year and being on certain stages and having certain experiences. I’m going to try to combine all of that and to instill all that in whatever role I play.”
