I've read all this talk about the player that could get the best value in return and I think it's batum. He has youth, upside (potential) and the all around game other teams may need. It may not be the popular opinion, but I just think his time here is over. He's just too passive and just doesn't play with the desire to take over a game. I know his wrist hurts, but let's look at his entire career. He is a tentative, passive player, that is 3rd to 4th option at best. I have to say of all the players I'm most frustrated with last night, he was #1. If this guy is hurt, then sit his ass. He's obviously not doing shit anyway.
Batum is overpaid and he's not having an amazing year. Why do you think he's the best trade chip? Aldridge is coming off an All-Star season, he's in his prime, and he's on a reasonable contract for a player of his caliber. What do you realistically think we could get for Batum?
Well mainly because he has that wrist injury that we could use as an excuse for his poor play. Aldridge can give us the most return, but batum can give us the player if need and still have our allstar.
In all seriousness, I think when Portland matched the offer sheet; we had no idea we would have such a gem in Lillard. It's now time to build around our only batman. Is batum right for this team? I could see us use batum and a sign and trade hickson for dalembert, pick and sign and trade redick. Even after this deal, we would have a good 6-7 million to offer for a starting caliber, defensive sf. I think claver is a solid enough player to be a good back up.
I agree with everyone in this thread so far (except jlprk, whom I generally ignore anyway). Given the option, trading Batum is a more desirable option than trading Aldridge. Given his contract and production this year, it seems unlikely that he would net a great return. Lillard is clearly the player to build around, and any deal that improves the pieces around him is worthwhile. If Batum could be traded for a starting-caliber center, I'd be fully on board.
Batum has the ability to put up triple doubles multiple times per season. How many small forwards in the league can do that? And he's only 24. If you look at the free agent list this summer, how many small forwards match Batum's skill set? Conversely, how many decent power forwards are on the market this summer?
Aldridge is available too. I just think a player like aldridge is a perfect compliment for lillard. batum kind of gets in the way sometimes. I just realized the only untradeable player on this team is Lillard. Time to give the young man a team built for him.
You are missing the point. We don't need a triple double machine. We need players that work with Lillard. Watching the games in person showed me a glaring issue with batum. He actually gets in the way of the flow of a Lillard offense. We would be just as fine as a Bruce Bowen type sf that isn't much of a scorer. A player that is pesky and disrupts the other teams flow on the offensive end. Personally claver is better suited for this role. He just needs to be able to finish and make shots consistently.
Man, I cannot disagree more with the OP contention, but especially vis-a-vis LMA. Maybe something has happened since I stopped being able to watch in January, but a) if Batum somehow gets more in return than LMA then that tells you that your thoughts on LMA are not close to reality and b) assuming that a healthy Batum would be a valuable trade chip, why do you want to give up a guy who's 3 years younger who excels in every single area of the game (passing, shooting, defense, ballhandling) at a higher level than LMA except for post offense (which LMA is doing at a career-low level anyway) in order to build around LMA?
If Batum wasn't hurt no one would be saying this right now. The guy is a cross between LeBron-lite and Durant-lite. I know people will say I am a homer for saying that (and he of course is not on their level) but the stats bear it out. He is the only across the board contributor in the NBA that puts up 80% of what they do.
Batum when healthy is a perfect fit for Lillard. Is he over paid? I don't really care if he makes a couple of million more than he deserves. I just know he is extremely versatile and a solid player to have on the team and is still young. I would not fuck that one up. Of course watching him last night was excruciating. So as soon as Claver is ready to come back I start thinking about sitting him down and fixing that wrist.
Before the wrist injury Batum was easily earning his contract, if not more. I would wait until next season to see if he plays great again once the wrist is healed before I hit the panic button. And just because a guy is a "true value chip", that doesn't mean you should trade him. To me, it means he's one of the guys we should keep!
Well we wouldn't have said that about Aldridge before his ankle injury. But actually; watching batum out there; he looks like he is getting in the way. This isn't a troll. He seems like he's always bumping into players and disrupting the flow. Pay attention next time and you will see it. It's really weird. Matthews, Aldridge and hickson all give Lillard all the lanes he needs. It's batum that isn't giving him the space.
Never said batum gets us more in value. I said we'd be better off trading batum and building players on the real batman; which is Lillard. Aldridge is a fine robin. He has understood the moment Lillard became batman; just like being robin to Roy. Also who said build around lma? I already said build around the true batman. His name is Lillard.
This thread is not about LA, it's about Batum. You should not attempt sidetracks from your original op! Batum shouldn't be out there right now. It's obvious his wrist is affecting his game. You watched him 1 game this season at the Rose Garden and this means "you're paying attention?"
Well tell that to the other posters. Just replying to those that talked about Aldridge. And I've been watching him all season. I just used tonight's game as a reference, since it was the game fresh in people's minds. There is a reason why his fg% is terrible "all season" even before his wrist injury
