Sixers finalizing deal with forward Caleb Martin, waiving Paul Reed

The news didn’t break during the initial chaos of free agency, but the Sixers are making a significant pickup, acquiring a player who may very well join their starting lineup.

A source confirmed Saturday to NBC Sports Philadelphia that the team is finalizing a multi-year deal for Caleb Martin.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski first reported the news. Per ESPN, Martin has agreed to “a four-year deal guaranteed for more than $32 million.” 

A source also confirmed that the Sixers will waive Paul Reed.

Undrafted out of Nevada in 2019, Martin began his NBA career with the Hornets. He spent the last three seasons in Miami, where he averaged 9.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 0.9 steals per game. 

A major part of Martin’s appeal is that he’s a tough player who can defend multiple positions. And he’s recently played a big role in a deep playoff run. Martin was brilliant during the Heat’s Eastern Conference Finals victory over the Celtics in 2023, posting 19.3 points and 6.4 rebounds per game and shooting 48.9 percent from three-point range.

Martin tallied 26 points and 10 boards in Game 7. 

Listed at 6-foot-5, 205 pounds, Martin has a 6-10 wingspan and is used to plenty of minutes at both forward spots. According to Cleaning the Glass, he played 50 percent of his minutes at small forward and 40 percent at power forward last season.

Reed, who had a non-guaranteed $7.7 million contract for next year, ended up being the odd man out in the Sixers’ roster-construction process. The team added center Andre Drummond in free agency and drafted UCLA big man Adem Bona.

After going 58th overall in the 2020 draft, Reed worked his way into regular minutes with the Sixers. The 6-foot-9 DePaul product won G League MVP, became Joel Embiid’s top backup, and proved he was an exceptional, relentlessly hustling rebounder. Reed appeared in every game for the Sixers last year, though he had a subpar first-round playoff series against a Knicks team with two 7-foot centers in Isaiah Hartenstein and Mitchell Robinson. 

While the Sixers aren’t done this offseason, below is a plausible starting lineup with Martin on board:

Tyrese Maxey — Kelly Oubre Jr. — Paul George — Caleb Martin — Joel Embiid

In addition to Bona and Drummond, they also have rookie Jared McCain, second-year wing Ricky Council IV, and veteran Eric Gordon. Justin Edwards and David Jones have agreed to sign two-way contracts.