Report: The Knicks Are Interested In Signing Kenyon Martin

The summer’s running joke was that New York was turning into the old timers’ playground. Jason Kidd. Kurt Thomas. Pablo Prigioni. When they brought Rasheed Wallace out of retirement, the Internet nearly exploded. But now they’re 23-11, Carmelo Anthony is a MVP candidate, and not even Honey Nut Cheerio-gate can limit the optimism in the Big Apple.

Yet the Knicks aren’t done. Adrian Wojnarowski and Marc Spears of Yahoo! Sports report the team has “renewed interest” in Kenyon Martin, who played last season with the Clippers and averaged 5.2 points and 4.3 rebounds.

Wallace’s foot injury is taking longer than expected to heal, and his health remains a key player in what the Knicks do. If ‘Sheed needs more time to get back on the court, Martin might be signed to a 10-day contract, which he is reportedly willing to do to prove his worth.

K-Mart isn’t the player he once was – last season in L.A., his PER dropped below double-digits, his rebounding rate – never spectacular – was well below his numbers from his final two seasons in Denver, and his efficiency fell off the map as the Clippers used him predominantly as a physical deterrent.

But that’s what happens once you hit 35 years old, as Martin did recently. Unless you’re a cyborg like 34-year-old Kobe Bryant, your production wavers, you can’t explode and finish at the rim anymore, and before you know it, you’re a cheerleader at the end of the bench.

The Knicks’ lineup already features Carmelo, J.R. Smith, Marcus Camby and Jason Kidd. All four are former teammates of Martin’s. All four retain good relations with the former No. 1 overall draft pick. The Knicks would be rebuilding those old Denver teams with Smith, Camby, ‘Melo and possibly K-Mart.

After saying he wouldn’t play for the minimum, Martin altered his stance earlier this season because he wants back in. New York would be the perfect place for him – he’d be another physical body to use off the bench in the postseason, an intimidator who might keep the Celtics from trying to punk the Knicks.

Should the Knicks sign Martin?

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