I Respect Caleb Martin For Signing With 76ers Because He Prioritizes Championships

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Caleb Martin has signed with the Philadelphia 76ers in free agency, and there’s a reason I actually like this decision.

To be fair, it’s not because he will stay in the Eastern Conference and continue to be a thorn in the side of the Boston Celtics. He’s one of those guys that always plays well against the defending champs (yes, that was an annoying Boston sports fan flex).

I like it because this move was likely motivated by a chance to win a title.

To show that, here’s a bit of context for what went down before Martin signed with Philadelphia.

According to some reports, the Miami Heat offered Martin a five-year contract worth roughly $65 million (so $13 million a year). His deal with the 76ers only (and I say that word loosely) gets him $8 million a year (four years, $32 million). So he took a deal that was worth less than half what he would have gotten to stay in South Beach.

MIAMI, FLORIDA - MARCH 01: Caleb Martin #16 of the Miami Heat reacts during the fourth quarter of the game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Miami-Dade Arena on March 01, 2023 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)

So what would drive him to move to Philadelphia? A chance to win a title.

The 76ers are beefing up like crazy this offseason, having already signed Paul George and a slew of other veterans to fill its roster for a title run. Martin came close to winning a title in 2023 with the Heat, but lost to the Nuggets. As such the 28-year-old seems to be looking for his best chance to win a ring.

To be fair, it also doesn’t hurt that he’ll likely be a starter right away in Philadelphia. But it's nonetheless refreshing to see guys prioritize winning, instead of just chasing their next big paycheck.

I can always respect a guy who wants to win, so I wish nothing but success for Martin. Just, not at the expense of the Celtics.

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John Simmons graduated from Liberty University hoping to become a sports journalist. He’s lived his dream while working for the Media Research Center and can’t wait to do more in this field with Outkick. He could bore you to death with his knowledge of professional ultimate frisbee, and his one life goal is to find Middle Earth and start a homestead in the Shire. He’s still working on how to make that happen.