Even for just a year or two. It's not like we're going to sniff the salary cap anytime soon. I'd throw 10 million per year at Camby for two years so he comes back.
I'm excited to see this team with Oden back. If Aldridge slots in as the third-best player and Batum and Miller are the main complementary players, this is a fantastic team. An Oden-Aldridge-Batum front line will be fantastic, defensively.
BlazerCaravan said it best: Batum had 22 points on 9 shots, and LA had 22 points on twenty one shots I am now a true believer in NB, his consistency so far looks solid. I thinks we will see some great things from this great young player. With Oden in again, I truly think they will have a good chance at the 2nd round playoff's. -Michael www.michaelhacker.com
22 points on 9 shots is obscene. It's almost like just adding 20 points to the team total without taking away possessions. Crazy stuff.
Great post!! I saw something in his game in SL although he did not score much. Then when KP signed him and some/many on the board thought that he should have been sent back to Europe I posted then that i really liked hin. He has been progressing since then at a marvelous rate and if it had not been for his shoulder would be contending for MIP I believe. If he continues to progress at the rate he has up untill now, he will be very much Pippenish. Maybe better.
Batum didn't score much last year, but he had a smooth and controlled look on offense, which was pretty surprising for a rookie as young as he was. While I think numbers tend to give a more objective view of a player than the "eyeball test," I think observation is pretty hugely important in evaluating a prospect...which is largely what Batum was last year. That, combined with his defense, is why I felt he had a pretty remarkable upside despite his far-from-spectacular numbers.
I still can't forget draft day 2008 when the majority of people we doubting KP for trading Darrell Arthur for Batum. I don't think anyone is doubting that now.
Lets also recall that a heart scare just prior to the draft threw a wrench in matters. I'm on record wanting him at 13 (if ARandolph was gone), but that was based mostly on other's opinions (what I'd read)/youtube. The poster draft calls on him are sort of funny in hindsight, but it's hard to take much blame/credit on a guy so few of us had actually seen play. STOMP
I agree, that is what's funny... How can you criticize a pick when you haven't even seen the player play?
Sad when the Blazers/Raptors highlights didn't hit ESPN highlight until 1 hour and 11 minutes into the show. How lame.
I never go to ESPN for my highlights. I go to NBA TV on Directv. They have great and extended coverage of all the games of the night and can be seen several times on subsequent time slots. Your welcome.
i like to first see the kid play and then look at numbers to see if he is living up to my expectations of his potential. I was wrong on Sergio and I think I was right on Batum. He still has a high, and still to be higher potential, for me from both observation and the numbers. Rudy also may yet demonstrate his potential from my observations and I hope the numbers bear this out. The style and speed of play are so important for him. And of course most players are better if the players around them are preforming well together too.
