Former Memphis Grizzlies big-man, Jarell Martin, has signed with the Sydney Kings for the 2020-21 NBL season, sources have told ESPN.
With Andrew Bogut announcing his retirement from basketball on Tuesday, the signing of Martin fills the starting centre role for a Kings team that desperately needed frontcourt depth.
Martin, 26, played three seasons with the Grizzlies, averaging 7.7 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game over the 2017-18 season, before being traded to the Orlando Magic.
Martin was part of the Grizzlies when currently Kings CEO, Chris Pongrass, was serving as the franchise's Director of Basketball Operations.
The 6'11 big-man was a teammate of Ben Simmons as Louisiana State University before being taken with the 25th overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft. After a four-year career in the NBA, Martin signed with the G-League's Rio Grande Valley Vipers for the 2019-20 season, before the COVID-19 pandemic led to its cancellation.
The Kings will have a tangibly different feel to their 2019-20 team, with head coach Will Weaver leaving Sydney to join the Houston Rockets as an assistant coach, before star import Jae'Sean Tate followed his mentor in joining the franchise, on a three-year deal.
Martin will join Casper Ware, Shaun Bruce, Dejan Vasiljevic, Angus Glover, Didi Louzada, Brad Newley, Xavier Cooks, Craig Moller, Daniel Kickert, and Jordan Hunter on a Kings roster that's now complete, but is still yet to name a new head coach.
The 2020-21 NBL season is scheduled to begin in mid-January. The schedule is expected to be released this week.