Some love from SI for our boy BatumShakaLaka. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/ian_thomsen/02/26/wade.notes/1.html
It tells a lot about our team that Nate calls our best defender average. It either says we have the worst defenders on the planet, or Mr. Sonic doesn't know what the hell he is talking about.
Well, if he were a great defender, a Bruce Bowen in his prime, don't you think our defense would not be the worst in the league? Also, our best defender is Joel Pryzbilla. But this team does have reason to hope defensively, Jerryd Bayless and Batum could become excellent defenders.
I love Batum... I love Jerryd as well, which is why i'm realy happy with our future. It hink they will both pan out into extremely good players. If we just make sure Oden pans out as well, I think our starting lineup will be the best in the NBA in 2-3 years, no matter how young they will be.
Nate has shown several times this year that he will not heap praise on a rookie, no matter how deserving at the time. Probably some sort of a tough love philosophy with the young 'uns.
I can't wait to see Nicolas when he's 25, 26 years old and entering his prime years. Of course, that seems like a long ways a way, but he's going to be special and going to be a perfect role player next to Brandon and LaMarcus. He's already a good player in limited minutes. And who knows, if he develops a jump shot and an ability to create off the dribble, he could be great. I could see why KP and the gang would've been hesitant to trade him, knowing they've got at least 15 years with this guy barring a major injury.
Hmmm....Rudy or Batum for you guys. Who do you think has the better game? I tend to think that Rudy might be a bit overrated based on expectations....Batum might be the better prospect. He shoots the rock fairly well. Don't have stats here but to me, seems like he can play as well, if not better. Rudy is just too in love with the 3.
Batum has been looking better than Rudy lately. But Fernandez is playing 8 more mpg, played in the Olympics, and didn't get a real break over All Star weekend. Batum is just fresher. I think Batum looks to be Stacey Augmon with three point range. That's not a bad player at all. But Fernandez' ceiling is higher.
I'd say that's his floor, though, not his ceiling or expected prime. I think his ceiling is tremendous, considering how naturally he fit into the game as a raw, 19 year old rookie. His skills need lots of work, but he has so much time between now and his prime that I can envision a star upside for him. His defense already looks like it could be special, which gives him a very important tool. If he can become more consistent as a shooter and translate is fluid athleticism into strong slashing skills, he could be a big-time player.
I see maybe a slightly less version of Shawn Marion as his ceiling. He'll never have the chance to avg the same numbers because at best he'll be the 4th option in his career in Portland, but the blks/stls/etc type stats will be there, and he'll probably have a very good opponents FG% against him.
Alex42... It's so nice to see someone think with a longer time frame than this year and next. Fortunately for all of us, KP and others seem to have a long term time horizon, incorporated in their planning. It seems clear to me that GO is going to require at least a year or to more before his improved skills help us into the championship window. Why bring in a V Carter when within 3 years his skills will likely decline greatly. It is likely a pretty similar case for RJefferson. Instead, give Batum the playing time and accelerate his development. Does anyone think he would have developed as quickly if Martell hadn't been out?
