Larry Miller "hopes" a team doesn't offer Batum something "crazy" -- There is a strong possibility that a team offers Nic >$8-9M and could lose him. So, who in their early/mid-20's are: A) Attainable B) An upgrade
Portland would probably match 8 mil. It's over-paying, but that's the way FA goes. I'd say in this market, his real value should be around 6-7. But you know, Portland always seems to keep 15 players on the roster and stashes Euro's over-seas which takes up cap space, so why split hairs over Batum? He solidify's a starting position. He still has a chance to become more consistant.
You certainly spend it on great SF's (James, Durant, et al)... But even overpaying a bit for a good SF is fine if he fills a couple of needs and can take over a game every once in a while. It's not like Batum is just a rich man's Kyle Korver or something; he's not a specialist. Overpaying a bit for him won't kill us, and it's something we'll likely do anyway, so we might as well plan around that as fans.
the cliche you here from agents and athletes is you get paid for what you've done, not what you might do. Nic has been a solid (not great) starter in a Shane Battier mold, so my guess is he'll resign for a bit above the MLE at about 4 years/7.5M per. That would give him security but also set him up for another possibly bigger deal when he's 28. STOMP
Nic looks like a completely different player in France where the system is fast and free. I wonder how he'd look under D'Antoni.
The level of competition just ins't the same either. It's sort of like when I used to practice Greco-Roman wrestling moves on my 13 year old brother when I was 18, "oh shit, this is easy!" *woop* *whoosh*
I'll be honest; I'd be kind of okay if we didn't sign Batum just so all the bitching on the Blazer forums from the self-appointed experts would stop.
The bitching will just begin on a new person. We had the same bitching about Outlaw and Webster. If he's gone, it'll just end up bitching about Babbit or Wes or someone next season.
I've been leery of the Nash/Rondo rumors because we don't have the shooters to put around them, but if we hold onto Batum, and if Babbit's newfound confidence isn't short-lived, that could be an interesting swing combo. If Larry Miller thinks he has a realistic chance of bringing in someone like that, it's worth overpaying Batum a bit to see if it works.
The Blazers can't afford to lose Batum. They'll pay the market rate to keep him. Wesley is back to his old form from outside, Babbitt is pure money and will learn to put it on the floor and take a closer shot when they rush him, and Nico is a very good three point threat. I'd say we have some pretty good complimentary shooters, an all star post player, and now we just need the right point guard.
I have issues with claiming he can take over a game every once in a while...Yeah, he can have a good game occasionally, but he's not the kind of player who can create for himself very well, and he's more likely to be passive than aggressive. Take tonight for example. No Aldridge, and our starting frontcourt shot a total of 10 shots. I don't know a better time than now to be trying to be "the man" like he mentioned earlier in the year. I don't mind keeping him, but I sure as heck wouldn't overpay for him.
