As the NBA offseason winds down, the trades may be just beginning. With Kevin Durant's situation in Brooklyn holding up the market, teams have been essentially unable to make moves on the margins that would have otherwise been completed early in the summer under normal circumstances. Because so many teams had assets tied up for a potential Durant trade, very few of those deals were completed, and may just now be getting started.
In a recent hypothetical trade proposal from Bleacher Report's Zach Buckley, the writer had the LA Clippers and Houston Rockets swapping young talent. With Jason Preston and a second-round pick heading to Houston in Buckley's proposed deal, 21-year-old Kenyon Martin Jr. ended up on the Clippers.
The proposed logic was centered on a change of scenery for Martin, and the lack of minutes available for Preston. Stuck behind John Wall and Reggie Jackson, there will be little to no minutes available for Preston on the Clippers next season, whereas a rebuilding Rockets team could offer him a more significant role.
As for Martin, Buckley believes a change in scenery could be key for the young player, as his skillset could potentially benefit the Clippers next year. While that is the presented logic in this hypothetical deal, the reality is that neither Martin nor Preston would likely see significant minutes on the Clippers next year. The team's point guard depth is far from their only stacked position, and with players like Norman Powell, Terance Mann, Luke Kennard, and others who play that G/F spot, there is not much of a place for Martin on the Clippers either.
Because of this, it seems unlikely that the Clippers and Rockets will swap young talent in a move that does not do much for either side.
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