The Texans center will be sticking around a little while longer
Texans sign Martin to baffling extension
Sep 10, 2019, 12:55 pm
Jim Rogash/Getty Images
The Houston Texans and center Nick Martin agreed to a contract extension.
The Texans have signed C Nick Martin to a three-year, $33M extension with $18.35M guaranteed, per source.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) September 10, 2019
The signing of Martin at this number is baffling. The average annual salary ties him for third among center with five-time All-Pro Maurkice Pouncey. It is roughly a top-ten figure when it comes to guaranteed money at the center position.
He was drafted as a replacement for incumbent starter Ben Jones who left in free agency to the Tennessee Titans. Jones, since his departure, has been a mainstay for the Titans and even earned a contract extension with Tennessee.
Martin meanwhile has regularly been below average. He graded out as the 17th best center according to Pro Football Focus in 2018 among players who played half the snaps or more. Last year the Jones, both of the Colts centers, and Jacksonville center Brandon Linder all graded out higher than Martin.
He was the 5th best center according to grading in a four team division.
The Texans are taking a huge risk committing to Martin for this length of time when huge money will be due to Laremy Tunsil and Deshaun Watson in the near future.
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Victor Wembanyama scored 29 points, Jeremy Sochan added 17 points and 12 rebounds, and the San Antonio Spurs held on to beat the Houston Rockets 109-106 on Saturday night in their home opener.
Wembanyama added seven rebounds and three blocks while shooting 10 for 17 from the field.
Chris Paul added three points and nine assists, including a drive and feed to Sochan for an open layup that put San Antonio up 104-99 with 1:35 remaining.
After trailing by 22 points in the first half, Houston was within one possession for much of the final minutes. The Rockets went on a 21-8 run in the opening six minutes of the final quarter, turning an 18-point deficit into a 95-90 lead for San Antonio.
Jalen Green had 27 points for Houston. Fred VanVleet added 18 and Dillon Brooks had 16.
Takeaways
Rockets: Houston wasted a good finish with a poor start. After shooting 34% through three quarters, including 17% in the second period, the Rockets shot 60% in the final quarter.
Spurs: San Antonio went 2 for 13 on 3-pointers after opening the game 6 for 7.
Key moment
After struggling mightily at times last season to get the ball into Wembanyama’s hands around the rim, a pair of passes from Paul yielded much promise and thunderous celebrations. Paul’s first lob resulted in an alley-oop dunk for Wembanyama with 2:12 remaining in the first half that put the Spurs up 57-38. Paul and Wembanyama repeated the alley-oop dunk a minute later, giving the Spurs a 59-38 advantage.
Key stat
San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich has stressed the need for his team to be more physical and the Spurs responded, outrebounding Houston 57-46.
Up next
The Rockets face the Spurs again on Monday to close out a two-game set in San Antonio.