He's really not that great. I'd keep Lillard, Aldridge and Matthews over him without a doubt. I don't see how he could possubly be considered underrated.. when most people here vastly overrate him. Sent from my banana using Tapatalk 4
This scounting report from nearly six years ago hardly seems relevant. Specifically for the sentence I highlighted. Batum clearly isn't the best player on this team, and if he started playing like he thought he was, he'd disrupt the flow of the offense and destroy team chemistry. Given how well the team is playing and the incredible chemistry and ball movement, I'm content with Batum knowing his role and playing it well. And, if the team ever needs him to step up, like he did in the second half against OKC, all the better. BNM
And while I fully appreciate his "fucked around and got a triple double" / "super-glue guy" game, there's this.. ..that can make all the difference in the playoffs.
Overrated how? Seriously, I want you to give me some names of small forwards who are capable of doing what he does. Right now his stats are 13.8 PPG 6.3 rebounds (career high) 5.3 assists (career high) 16.9 PER Last season he averaged: 14.3 PPG 5.6 rebounds 4.9 assists 15.7 PER So his scoring is slightly down from last season, but he has improved his rebounding and passing. His PER is still down a bit from where it was under McMillan though.
I forgot to quote it, but I was specifically replying to this: I form my opinions on players probably 90% from what I see. Stats take a back seat for me, I don't really care to discuss them at length, because they have little actual meaning. To see how the player is playing and how they are getting those stats, you have to watch. From watching Batum, it is clear to me that most Blazer fans overrate him, not underrate.
Unless Batum starts taking roids, goes on a rage, asserts himself as the alpha dog, forces the other players to be his bitch, and leads his team in points and rebounds, he's underachieving and unmotivated and should be traded or waived. 'Nuff said.
But if you compare him to someone like Lance Stephenson, who is getting a lot of pub right now over his all-around play, Batum is actually outplaying him in some areas. Stephenson 13.3 PPG 6.6 rebounds 5.2 assists 15 PER Lance has a much better defensive rating though.
To be honest, I don't pay any attention to the media, so I have no idea who gets the publicity. Is Stephenson thought of as better than Batum nationally? Because I would disagree with that, even though I do like Stephenson. The only views I have to go by are the ones on this board, that's probably why I think he's mostly overrated.
Stephenson is a guy who is getting a lot of credit for Indiana's success this year, and he's supposed to be getting a big payday this summer. It will be interesting to see what kind of money he gets, because he and Nic are putting up eerily similar numbers.
