Kings' Martin Agrees To Deal

K-Mart is no longer a blue-light special.

According to two league sources, fourth-year shooting guard Kevin Martin late Monday night agreed to a five-year contract extension with the Kings worth about $55 million.

Martin, whose breakout 2006-07 season will vault him into the upper pay ranks of NBA shooting guards, unexpectedly flew in from his training hub at the IMG Academies in Bradenton, Fla., and arrived in Sacramento on Monday in anticipation of signing his new contract. A news conference is expected this week to announce the deal.

The Kings had until Oct. 31 to finalize an extension or allow him to become a free agent next offseason, but discussions between Kings basketball president Geoff Petrie and Martin's agent, Jason Levien, began in early August.

The team's initial offer was about $43 million, with the rising price tag a clear sign of the organization's interest in making Martin a major piece of its rebuilding.

Martin, who is scheduled to leave Friday for Africa as part of the league's "Basketball without Borders" program, could not be reached for comment. Levien declined comment when reached.
Martin's deal, which starts in the 2008-09 season, is among the largest signed this offseason. Though it's nowhere near the six-year, $112.8 million contract of Orlando small forward Rashard Lewis, it is in the neighborhood of deals for two-time All-Star point guard Chauncey Billups (five years, $60.5 million) of Detroit and former Kings small forward Gerald Wallace (five years, $47.5 million) of Charlotte.

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source : sacbee.com