Lowry expects former Heat teammate Martin to have a “phenomenal impact” for the Sixers

Lowry expects former Heat teammate Martin to have ‘phenomenal impact’ for Sixers originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Kyle Lowry isn’t the kind of person to feign enthusiasm for the cameras.

If he’s unimpressed or annoyed, the six-time All-Star point guard won’t hide it.

So when Lowry speaks about former Heat teammate Caleb Martin, his praise stands out.

“I think he’s going to have a phenomenal impact,” Lowry said of Martin on Monday. “When he got to Miami that first year, he had a two-way contract. He went from a two-way contract, to a standard contract, to earning another contract, to earning another contract. That just shows the adaptability and hard work he puts in.

“He’s never satisfied with just doing one or two things. He always tries to take who he is to the next level. And I think he still has some things to prove. He’s going to bring a fight, he’s going to bring some attitude, he’s going to bring a different voice. He will not back down from anyone. He is going to tell the truth, how it is.”

Those qualities would all be welcome in Martin’s new team.

Of course, the Sixers will obviously 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 carry some weight.

The 29-year-old forward played in 45 postseason games in his three years with the Heat and had several big performances during Miami’s last two playoffs. 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, shooting 42.3 percent from three-point range.

Like Lowry, it doesn’t seem like he’ll be dancing around tough topics in Philadelphia.

“We have a great relationship,” Martin said of Lowry, whom he called one of his “big brothers” in July. “I learned a lot from him in a short time in Miami. He’s 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 mid-year when he (moved) from Miami to here.

“He just influences teams in a positive way. Definitely a boy you can learn a lot from and enjoy being on the same team with.”

On the field, Martin will likely be tasked with a wide range of defensive duties. The players he spent a lot of time guarding last season include Dejounte Murray, Maxey, DeMar DeRozan, Cade Cunningham and Darius Garland.

Kelly Oubre Jr. was already spreading possible nicknames for himself, Martin and George.

“Infinite opportunities for us on defense,” Oubre said. “We are definitely very versatile, agile and athletic, but the difference is that we all want that challenge. It will be fun to fight them to see who guards and stops the (opponent) trying to get out. Call us the water stoppers… call us the plumbers. It will be fun.”

Following the move from Erik Spoelstra to Nick Nurse as his head coach, Martin should feel comfortable making routine substitutions, playing zone, making adjustments on the fly and doing jobs that look intimidating on paper.

“I just think about the versatility that I bring,” Martin said. “Not just me, but we have a lot of guys who can play in multiple positions. I think that’s what makes us a deep team – and it goes back to being positionless, being able to guard one through four. And I also think I’m a little louder, like I was in Miami. Off the field I’m not that loud, but I think for me on the field it’s a little different.

“I say a lot, I like figuring things out and I like working with my teammates. I also want to try to build leadership and intangibles… I’m going into my sixth year and I’ve gone through certain phases and had certain experiences. I will try to combine all that and instill all that in whatever role I play.”