Soon as Nicolas Batum learned he’d been traded to Charlotte, he called fellow Frenchman Boris Diaw for the low-down. Diaw told Batum where to go and where to eat . So Friday at Batum’s introductory news conference, someone asked Batum if he’d start riding around on a Segway as Diaw did. “Yes!” Batum joked. “I think I’m going to do the very same thing.” OK, now we know new Hornet Batum is playful. Coach Steve Clifford thinks can be a lot more than that, a lot more than he was as a Portland Trail Blazer. Clifford told Batum this trade will expand his role. He’s no longer playing with stars LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard, standing in the corner waiting to take a 3-pointer. Batum, by his own description, is coming off a bad season. He had a wrist injury and shot 40 percent from the field and 32 percent from 3-point range, the worst such statistics of his seven-season NBA career. Batum says he was ready for a change. He seems delighted to get a fresh start with the Hornets. “I know my role is going to be different and I like that,” Batum said. “I know I can do a lot of things on the court; I’m a very versatile player. So me and Kemba (Walker) can do great things together.” Clifford has major plans. He envisions the 6-foot-8 Batum, who will start at shooting guard, as a primary scoring option next season. Clifford imagines running offense through Batum similarly to how the Orlando Magic did with small forward Hedo Turkoglu when Clifford was an assistant there. - See more at: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/nba/charlotte-hornets/article25668130.html
