Former Denver Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin will reportedly make his choice over the weekend of what will be his next stop in the NBA. There are as many as six teams expressing interest in Martin who is currently playing with Xinjiang Gyang Hui of the Chinese Basketball Association.
Among those teams with rumored interest in Martin are the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs, Atlanta Hawks and New York Knicks. Atlanta would only be able to offer the veteran minimum but Martin is reportedly seeking money but also a role on the team and wouldn't be happy just sitting around as insurance.
With Al Horford out for the foreseeable future, Atlanta is looking for a big player that could come in and give them minutes off the bench. So far they haven't shown any public interest in any of the available centers available. Martin isn't your prototypical center but neither is 6-foot-8 Ivan Johnson who has saw time as the team's backup center of late. If the Hawks could land Martin then it would give them another veteran piece to go with what has turned into a mostly solid bench. If not it will be interesting to see where the team turns next or whether they simply stand pat.
2:50 p.m. Update
Yahoo Sports Adrian Wojnarowski reports that Kenyon Martin has been given FIBA clearance and is now cleared to sign with an NBA club right away.
After China failed to respond to request for Letter of Clearance for Kenyon Martin, FIBA made surprising decision to grant it, sources say.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) February 2, 2012
SB Nation's Tom Ziller reports that the Clippers may be emerging as the favorite to land Martin.
UPDATE No. 2
Wojnarowski also reports that Martin is visiting with the Hawks today and is intrigued with the significant role that he could play with the club.
Kenyon Martin is on visit to Atlanta today, intrigued w/ significant role he could play w/ Hawks, sources say. Clips, Heat high on list too.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) February 2, 2012
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