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Sixth man Kevin Martin (quad) practiced Sunday and will play in the Thunder's 4:30 p.m. game (ABC) on Christmas Day at Miami. “He looked good,” coach Scott Brooks said after his team's 90-minute practice. “He's fine. He'll play.” Oklahoman

Oklahoma City Thunder, Injuries, Kevin Martin 

In fact, Martin is having so much fun in Oklahoma City that he could see himself signing a long-term deal with the Thunder this summer. Martin is in the final year of his contract and will become an unrestricted free agent after the season. According to sources, the Thunder has made it clear that they want to keep Martin beyond this season and the interest appears to be mutual. “Oh yeah,” Martin said when asked if wants to stay in Oklahoma City long-term. “I get that question a lot since it’s a contract year. There are going to be teams interested over the summer, but I’m so happy right now and being with these guys has given me an extra pep in my step. It’s just fun being here. It’s a great organization and great guys. I’m happy right now.” HoopsWorld

Oklahoma City Thunder, Free Agency, Kevin Martin 

And Martin couldn’t be happier in Oklahoma City. For the first time in his career, he’s on a legitimate contender. He has only been the postseason once – as a reserve with the 2005-06 Sacramento Kings – and he has become close with his new teammates. Martin says that even though he’s coming off of the bench for the Thunder, this is the most fun that he’s had in his career. “This team has embraced me and made my transition so much easier,” Martin told HOOPSWORLD. “At this point, that’s all I can ask for. We’re going to keep getting better as the season goes on. We’re having fun now, but we feel like we still have a couple more steps to take.” HoopsWorld

Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Martin 

And, perhaps above all else, his happiness. Good luck trying to wipe the smile off Martin's face. “I've got an easy life right now,” said Martin, seemingly somewhat embarrassed to admit it. Oklahoman

Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Martin 

"It couldn't have gone any smoother," Martin said of the transition to Oklahoma City. "On the flight over, (general manager) Sam (Presti) told me all you have to do is worry about playing basketball and get familiar with the guys. And everything off the court we're going to make it smooth for you." Martin had been counted on in Sacramento and Houston to be a top scorer. Sacramento Bee

Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Martin 

Despite the lack of negotiations, Martin made it clear that returning to the Thunder is a strong possibility. “I love it,” said Martin. “I’m a Midwest guy and it’s going to be an interesting summer for myself, because I never got a chance to really be a free agent and I’m going to be high in the shooting guard class, so hopefully everything works out here. We have a great thing right now and I’m just living in the moment.” RealGM

Oklahoma City Thunder, Free Agency, Kevin Martin 

In victory and defeat, the ball belongs to the NBA's two best 20-something scorers and everyone else is left to sort through the scraps of shots. "I get phone calls at all hours of the night from different teammates," Perkins told Yahoo Sports. "And I've got to tell them: OK, you didn't get yours tonight but… " Perkins told Yahoo! Sports. "So OK, take Serge [Ibaka]. I'll tell him, "OK man, you got seven points tonight, then you need to go get eight blocks. Some nights it's not going to be your night, where you can touch the ball. It's like that on this team, especially when you've got scorers like Russ, K.D. and Kevin Martin leading the league in scoring." Yahoo! Sports

Oklahoma City Thunder, Kendrick Perkins, Russell Westbrook, Kevin Martin, Serge Ibaka 

On Wednesday night, at roughly 7:10 p.m., Harden will play in Chesapeake Energy Arena for the first time as a visitor. “He's going to be hit with a lot of emotions, especially the closer it gets to tip-off,” Martin said. “The fans, they love him here. He had success. And it should be a good welcoming for him.” Oklahoman

Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Martin 

Darnell Mayberry: Kevin Martin said he reached out to Rockets coach Kevin McHale in recent days to offer his condolences on the loss of McHale's daughter. Twitter @DarnellMayberry

Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Coaching, Kevin McHale, Kevin Martin 

Darnell Mayberry: Martin: "It’s a tough loss. Nobody wants to go through that so our thoughts and prayers are definitely with him." Twitter @DarnellMayberry

Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Coaching, Kevin McHale, Kevin Martin 

Thunder coach Scott Brooks said he currently has no plans to insert Kevin Martin into the starting lineup but left the door open for that to change down the line. “At this moment, no, I don't see it changing,” Brooks said. “You never know. It's a long season. A lot of things can happen. But we have a pretty good track record with our starters. They understand their role and they do a good job. Kevin, we're building him to be that guy off the bench that can give us what we need that particular game.” Oklahoman

Oklahoma City Thunder, Scott Brooks, Kevin Martin 

Darnell Mayberry: Thunder guard Kevin Martin has received a flopping warning. He becomes the third NBA player to receive a warning and the first on OKC's team Twitter @DarnellMayberry

Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Martin 

Brooks is in the process of plotting that transformation, and he has a plan that could work. It’s an adjustment that has the potential to bring more balance to the bench unit while establishing additional harmony in the star-studded first string. The idea is to sub out Kevin Durant earlier. It’s a strategy Brooks told me following practice today that the coaching staff began kicking around earlier in the day. By sitting Durant earlier, the Thunder can accomplish three things: most importantly a more sensible rotation that relies less on only Eric Maynor and Kevin Martin to create, secondly, an opportunity for Westbrook to run as wild as his heart desires for longer stretches and, lastly, more rest for Durant. Oklahoman

Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant, Eric Maynor, Kevin Martin 

Kevin Martin showed up two and a half hours early to practice with his new Oklahoma City Thunder team recently and discovered a most peculiar thing: He was late. "Our practice starts at 11, and I'm getting there at 8:30 and seeing Russell (Westbrook) and Kevin (Durant) - the two best players on the court," Martin told USA TODAY Sports this week. "That just makes me want to get there at 8:29 and show them that I'm here to do whatever they need me to do." USA Today

Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Martin 

"Now it's just about integrating yourself into a team, a very successful team, and that's where my passion and me fitting into their family culture around here is on display," said Martin, who was sent to the Thunder with rookie shooting guard Jeremy Lamb, two first-round picks and a second-round pick in exchange for Harden, Cole Aldrich, Daequan Cook and Lazar Hayward. "Now it's just that process of getting everything into one big piece. We saw with Miami a couple years ago, they went 9-8 (to start the season), then went to Cleveland and that's when it started clicking for them. It's a process. We're going to win a lot of games, but we know it's very important to be playing at the beginning of June." USA Today

Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Martin 

“I loved playing with K-Mart but James is special,” Parsons said. “He brings so many different things to our team; with our personalities, he’s great with our offense and being able to run in transition and putting him in pick-and-roll. I think he will really thrive in this system.” HoopsWorld

Houston Rockets, James Harden, Kevin Martin, Chandler Parsons 

New Oklahoma City Thunder player Kevin Martin has been observing something very interesting about Hasheem Thabeet’s behavior. Martin’s point of view is especially intriguing as the two were teammates together for the Houston Rockets during part of the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons. “I was with him in Houston. It’s like night and day when he was in Houston,” Martin told HOOPSWORLD about Thabeet. “He wants to be in every practice drill now. I can tell he gets to the gym earlier. He’s just excited. “Whatever they did to him, it definitely worked in his favor,” he said, grinning, referring to the Oklahoma City Thunder franchise. HoopsWorld

Oklahoma City Thunder, Hasheem Thabeet, Kevin Martin 

There was a certain tightness, an incredible closeness between the Thunder's young core and losing a key piece like Harden should obviously disturb some of that togetherness and chemistry. The hole left by Harden's departure might be unfilled -- Kevin Martin's locker is well away from Harden's old digs -- but Scott Brooks has no choice but to move his team forward and focus on the goal. “James [Harden] was a good player,” Brooks said. “Don't get me wrong. But he wasn't Dr. James. He wasn't helping the group stick together. All the guys do. Russell, Kevin, down the line, Perk, Nick. All the guys. That's what makes good teams.” CBSSports.com

Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, James Harden, Scott Brooks, Kevin Martin 

He also isn't James Harden. He wasn't the franchise's first draft pick in Oklahoma City; he wasn't part of a group that grew into a contender; he wasn't one of the three players standing in Miami with his arm draped around the other watching the final seconds tick off their season. He can't replace Harden in those ways. It's natural that this is a process for the young Thunder to overcome, for them to redevelop a new chemistry with a player on the court. “I've never once went into a practice or a game thinking ‘Oh my gosh, I'm really worried about our chemistry tonight,” Brooks said. “[Chemistry] was never a question. It really wasn't. I think when you talk about chemistry with our group and if you question it, I don't think you've been around our group as long as I have." CBSSports.com

Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, James Harden, Scott Brooks, Kevin Martin 

“You can't duplicate it," Westbrook said of chemistry, "but we have a group of guys that have been here for a while. We're switching the team up a little bit but every year we've had a different team and we've found a way to incorporate guys and make sure everybody knows what it takes for us to win. So I don't think that's going to be a problem.” CBSSports.com

Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Kevin Martin