East Notes: Sixers, Caleb Martin, Pistons, Cavs

76ers

Forward Caleb Martin received a nice deal to leave the Heat for the 76ers, and Bleacher Report ranked it as the league’s 12th best contract.

Martin’s deal is for four years and a little more than $35 million, per reports.

“The 6’5″ Martin is a career 35.7 percent three-point shooter, but his postseason production over the last two years was significantly higher (42.6 percent),” Bleacher Report wrote. “Almost 29, he’s still in his prime, and at the price, Philadelphia is getting a valuable rotation player/borderline starter.”

Martin is indeed one of those “X-factor” types and should fit in well alongside stars Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George.

Meanwhile, Kevin McCormick of SI.com wrote that “many believe Martin will remain a starter alongside the team’s big three. The veteran wing is coming off his best season as a pro, averaging 10.0 PPG, 4.4 RPG, and 2.2 APG. While his three-point shooting was below league average in the regular season (34.9%), Martin has shot 42% or better from deep in each of the past two postseasons.”

Pistons

New shooting guard Malik Beasley suggested leaving the Bucks for the Pistons was the right move for him. This despite the fact Milwaukee is a playoff team and Detroit has struggled mightily.

“The family and the dawg atmosphere I wanted to be a part of that with [Jalen Duren] and [Isaiah Stewart],” Beasley told reporters, via Justin Grasso of SI.com. “Then also just help [Cade Cunningham] out. They need shooting here, and I wanted to be one of the top dogs in that category. Then Coach [J.B. Bickerstaff], he’s an amazing guy, and I’m ready to work.”

Beasley is joining a cast of newcomers that also includes forward Tobias Harris, center Paul Reed, wing Tim Hardaway Jr. and rookie forward Ron Holland. And yes, Bickerstaff and head of basketball operations Trajan Langdon.

Basically, it’s a new day in Detroit.

Cavaliers

The Cavs are among the 10 teams that qualify as a potential Finals sleeper, as ranked by Dan Favale of Bleacher Report.

“Next year’s Cavs are better and deeper than its opening-year iteration,” Favale wrote. “There’s no way a team with four All-Star types all in or approaching their primes peaked during their inaugural season. And if the wildly flawed version of Cleveland managed to squeak out 48 victories and a playoff-series win last year, imagine what a healthier, more talented and better optimized version of that team can do.”

Favale has a point. The Cavs are banking on the idea that new coach Kenny Atkinson can get them to another level, and that Darius Garland will bounce back from a down season.

While several others look better on paper, several believe Cleveland is primed to supplant the Bucks as the best team in the Central Division and should already be better than the Pacers, who advanced to the East Finals last season.