Caleb Martin’s Struggles Continue as Mavericks Shift Rotation
The Dallas Mavericks have made a notable adjustment in recent games, benching forward Caleb Martin for the last two contests - a move that reflects a broader shift in how the team is approaching its underperforming pieces. Martin, a veteran with postseason experience and defensive chops, was brought in with expectations of being a key rotational player. But so far, things just haven’t clicked.
Martin’s struggles this season have been hard to ignore. Offensively, he’s been in a deep slump, and the numbers tell the story.
He’s shooting a career-low 24.3% from the field and just 15.4% from beyond the arc - percentages that simply don’t hold up in today’s NBA, especially for a wing expected to space the floor and contribute on both ends. In his most recent outing, Martin logged just two minutes in garbage time.
The game before that? Twelve minutes, three points, one made shot.
This isn’t just a recent dip in form, either. The signs were there last season.
After being acquired by Dallas, Martin appeared in only 14 games due to injuries and averaged 5.4 points while shooting under 39% from the floor. It was a small sample size, but not an encouraging one.
The hope was that a healthy offseason and a fresh start would help him bounce back. Instead, his November numbers - averaging just one point per game on 17.4% shooting - suggested more regression than recovery.
The Mavericks initially brought in Martin with the belief that his playoff pedigree and veteran presence could be a stabilizing force. But as the season has unfolded, it’s become increasingly clear that he hasn’t been able to deliver on that promise.
Head coach Jason Kidd’s decision to pull him from the rotation appears to be a reflection of that reality. The trust simply isn’t there right now, and with the team trying to find consistency around Luka Dončić, every minute on the floor matters.
What makes the situation sting a bit more for Dallas fans is the context of the trade that brought Martin in. The Mavericks sent out Quentin Grimes in the deal - a young, versatile guard who’s now thriving with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Grimes is averaging 16.2 points per game and shooting 44% from the field, including a solid 40% from deep in his most recent performance. He’s become exactly the kind of contributor Dallas could use right now: efficient, energetic, and reliable.
Meanwhile, Martin is in the second year of a four-year contract originally signed with Philadelphia - a deal the Mavericks absorbed in the trade. With his production dipping and his role diminishing, it’s tough to imagine much of a market for him in trade talks. That puts Dallas in a bind: they’ve got a roster spot tied up in a player who isn’t contributing, and they may not have an easy way out.
Still, benching Martin might be the first step toward finding a solution. Whether it’s opening up minutes for a younger player or packaging Martin’s contract in a larger deal down the line, the Mavericks are clearly signaling that they’re willing to make changes in pursuit of a more consistent rotation.
It’s a tough spot for Martin, who has shown flashes of being a valuable two-way player in the past. But in Dallas, the fit just hasn’t materialized - and unless something changes dramatically, it’s hard to see a path back into Kidd’s rotation anytime soon.