Just talking about paying up far more than the MLE for players with the "potential" tag. Batum is a defensive specialist with a streaky 3-point shot. Is that really worth tying up huge money with? I think it's time to cash him in for another veteran player that will help us with a legit shot of winning the West.
We might be able to win the West with one significant move, but I don't think we're anywhere near being able to take the Heat or Bulls in a 7 game series. This team is periously close to being over-the-hill without having ever reached the top.
I'd offer Batum a 4 year MLE level of contract, but nothing more. He hasn't proven that he's worth more then Crawford, Chuck Hayes, or Rip Hamilton. He will be a RFA so there is no rush to over pay him. We may need the cap flexability to make a run at signing Deron Williams or to resign our own free agents. If Batum wants the security of a guaranteed deal now he needs to give us a slight discount. If he wants more money he needs to prove it on the court first and then we will gladly pay up.
What is his maximum level if all of that untapped production came to fruition? Stat-wise and play wise? Just curious.
Quality not quantity when referring to depth. Batum/Thomas/Crawford is the best bench we've had in a long, long time. Not to mention Chris Johnson and Craig Smith. Just getting rid of Rudy has improved our bench. Crawford is two years removed from winning Sixth Man of the Year. Quality, not quantity.
Batum is key to our future. Aldridge, Wes, Batum and Felton all are going to be going through the primes of their career, hopefully as Blazers. Wallace is just 29, I'd say 4 or 5 good years left.
Outside of Thomas and Camby, where are we "perilously close to being over the hill"? If the age of our center position is the concern, then don't you think a Batum/Camby trade package could address that?
This thread is much ado about nothing. Batum is learning from Wallace to play more fiercely. If he looks weak, well, anyone looks weak alongside Wallace. Just keep both.
Yeah and considering we only have two players, or three if you count Oden, who've been here more then one full season why should we care terribly much about the ultra long term future? There are just too many vaiables to precisely plan an NBA roster more then a couple years into the future. We don't know what the big holes of the 2014-15 Blazer roster will be, it could be SF or PF just as easily as Center.
