Miami Heat Lose Forward Caleb Martin To Philadelphia 76ers In Free Agency

Anthony Pasciolla | Jul 6, 2024

Apr 5, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Miami Heat forward Caleb Martin (16) warms up before the game against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports / Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

The Miami Heat are suffering a major loss on Saturday morning, as forward Caleb Martin is reportedly signing with the Philadelphia 76ers.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski broke the news, reporting, "Free agent F Caleb Martin is finalizing a deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, sources tell ESPN. Impactful pickup for the Sixers, who bring on the playoff-tested veteran from Miami."

Free agent F Caleb Martin is finalizing a deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, sources tell ESPN. Impactful pickup for the Sixers, who bring on the playoff-tested veteran from Miami. pic.twitter.com/wc4hC6qJbm

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 6, 2024

Martin played an impactful part for the Heat over the past three seasons, especially during their 2023 NBA Finals run. He was viewed as the runner-up for the Eastern Conference Finals MVP, excelling when the team needed him most.

The Heat were already being clowned on social media for an offseason filled with silence, but this departure will make things worse. Miami's forward room is now highlighted by Jimmy Butler, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and Nikola Jovic. The attention is turning to lockdown forward Haywood Highsmith, whom the Sixers are also reportedly interested in. Fans will hope the loss of Martin means Highsmith is returning on a long-term, team-friendly deal.

"In past two seasons, Martin has averaged 13.6 points, 50 percent shooting and 44 percent on three-pointers vs. the Celtics (including regular season and playoffs)," Wojnarowski sahred. "That’s his most points per game vs an Eastern Conference opponent in that span, per @ESPNStatsInfo."

Anthony Pasciolla works as a contributing writer to Inside the Heat. He can be reached at ampasciolla@gmail.com or follow him on X @AnthonyPasci.

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