When Caleb Martin signed a two-way contract With the Miami Heat this summer, we all knew that he would be closer to having minutes in the NBA than in the G League, a competition that can also be played under such an agreement – he is made just for that. The basketball shown in his first two years in Charlotte and his style, according to the Florida game, made it clear that he would at least have the opportunity to show his worth under the orders of Erik Spoelstra, who has ended up trusting him as much as so that he has played the last 14 matches of the team.
Everything is going well for both parties. Martin is contributing from the second unit and the Heat have won five of their last seven games to be second in the Eastern Conference at 12-7, the same record as the Chicago Bulls. So what is the problem? Well, the games that the forward can play with Miami are limited.
The bases of two-way contracts indicate that a player may be activated for a maximum of 50 games per season. Of the 19 games that the Heat have played, Martin has been present in 17. At the count, that means that he could only play in 33 of the 66 that remain for Florida – it does not sound good for a boy who is in 16.3 minutes per night.
It is precisely because of this situation that Martin has been questioned. The 26-year-old is clear that he would love to move to a standard contract, but he also understands that it is a decision that fully concerns the management.
“I really haven’t thought that long-term,” he says to Sun Sentinel about not being able to play all the remaining games of the course before focusing on his particular situation. «It is something that I leave to them. They are the ones who must decide when they need me and when they don’t. Obviously, that standard contract is the goal of anyone faced with this situation. So obviously if that’s the case, I’d be more than grateful and allow myself to focus solely on playing. It would make things a lot easier. It would be great if it happened.
The return of Markieff Morris, who has been off the court for nearly three weeks after the Nikola Jokic incident, could lose him minutes, or even cause Miami to not include him on their active roster for some games. Does that open the door to see you playing withSioux Falls Skyforce from the G League? Martin prefers to remain part of the core of the Heat even if some nights he does not step on the floor.
“Sometimes it’s about wanting to come in and repeat every night, but obviously mental reps are a big part of this too, so sometimes it may be better for me to stay here training with the team and make sure I’m engaged, and ready to go. when they need me. It is about being prepared and being able to do my numbers without leaving the circuit, “he says.
(Photograph by Michael Reaves / Getty Images)
