http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=1831691 Associated Press EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The New Jersey Nets have made a qualifying offer to All-Star power forward Kenyon Martin. Kenyon Martin Power Forward New Jersey Nets Profile 2003-2004 SEASON STATISTICS GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT% 65 16.7 9.5 2.5 .488 .684 A restricted free agent, Martin will be eligible to talk with any team during the first two weeks of July. The Nets will have 15 days to match any offer he receives, team president Rod Thorn said Tuesday. The offer was extended to Martin on Monday. Last season, Martin averaged 16.7 points and 9.5 rebounds a game and was selected to his first All-Star team. He has said he wants to stay with the Nets. Also Tuesday, the Nets promoted Ed Stefanski to general manager. Stefanski served as senior vice president of basketball operations last season. He was the Nets' director of scouting the previous four years. "Ed is a keen evaluator of basketball talent," Thorn said. "He is ideally suited for the demands of his new position." Stefanski will have new responsibilities, but Thorn said he will continue to make decisions on trades. So what do you guys think we have some time to think what we can do with KMart I just hope we keep him.
The qualifying offer is required to be made. This isn't really news. Every team with a restricted free agent must make a qualifying offer. Players take it so that next year that can become unrestricted and sign without being matched. Olowokandi did it couple seasons ago.
i would honestly be suprise if kmart does not remain in NJ for years to come. we all know we CAN match any offer if just depends if ratner WANTS too. the article saying that there is no time table set as when ratner wants us to be under the cap makes me feel that there is no reason kmart should not comeback to jersey next year. no possible trade rumors will make us a better team than we are now. after this coming year we have a bunch of contracts that come off the books and will be under the cap. so i dont know if it is worth it to lose kmart, our future, just to try and be under the cap for 1year before we actually will be. it just doesn't seem like a smart business move. so i really expect him to stay, especially with rod making the calls; i have confidence in him. kmart is worth the max to us. there is noone out there who is better than him who we could get. he is a key part to our team and his skills have improved every year. whether you are a kmart hater or lover, you know he has potential and is a very skilled athelete. anyone would want kmart on thier team. other teams are going to give him max or close to it to try and get him away from the nets because they know how good he is and will be. the money he gets will be earned down the road from now,2-3more years,not now. if he is still the same calibur player 3yrs from now, then you can say he isnt worth the max. but from watchin him over the past 4yrs,you see how he's improved and the upside he has. so seeing him the past 4yrs and see what he is capable of doing for another 4-6yrs makes the money not matter because he can help to bring home a title. he is an emotional leader too, that cannot just be bought. that makes him extra special.
