The Batum tracker thread

I REALLY like Batum, but he's worth nowhere near the max - even with the new TV deal.

 

He was at home watching the Denver game on TV! Doesn't even need to be there to make a impact. Give him max deal or better yet give it to me! I'm really good at watch Blazer games on TV.

 

I'm not sure Batum will make the playoffs.

 

At this rate he may not average double figures. In which case, we can resign him at a bargain rate. Then if we can keep him off the French team over the summer so his body can rest, he might up his game next season.

 

I'm starting to reassess my opinion on Batum and his role on the team.

Batum's big advantage was he offers a second ball handler (because Wes is a disaster with the ball in his hands) to give Lillard help with playmaking. But other than that, even a player like Crabbe is putting up numbers almost exactly like Batum's on a per-minute basis. That's what the role offers, and what each player takes from the role.

So, if the role is the most limited among the five, why bother paying a guy a ton of money to play it?

If I were Neil (and thank God I'm not) I'd look into moving Batum and Wes for a SG that's a better ball handler and a SF that can spot up and nail the three. There's not a ton of creativity required out of Batum's position, to the point where Crabbe can play it as well as Batum is this year.

 

Our revamped scouting department should be helping him with that.

 

Batum is more about mortar than he is bricks. He fits perfectly alongside our starters, and his versatility, adaptability, and willingness to play a supplementary role in different areas each night make him invaluable and likely irreplaceable.

 

Agreed in that he fills in where needed very well. I like him, and he's probably the best person we could get to play SF in our current incarnation. But I disagree about him being irreplaceable, not because he's Batum, but because, if everyone is looking for a payday, and we can't afford him, the SF position is probably the most "plug and play" of the five.

 

Well said.

 

Batum's big advantage is that he's able to guard the opponent's best player. And just who is going to guard the opponent's best player night-in and night-out? Until Crabbe can guard Tony Parker one night, LBJ the next, and Dirk two nights later then Nic will have an unquestioned spot in our starting rotation. There's a WHOLE lot more to basketball than just shooting the ball.

 

Quality post right there! Not bad rook!

 

That's a really great point; I can't believe I forgot his defense.

 

Absolutely. Gms want to win and keep their jobs. Wes is a better player right now, and his work ethic and motor are amazing

 

Defense wins... something something.

 

95% of the time Nic is assigned to the opposing SF. Batum has all these mythic excuses as to why he's worth his salary, and this is one of them.

 

I've kinda' been wanting to say this to you for awhile......we'll see how long it stays up......Why don't you FUCK OFF! I'm all for differing opinions as long as they have some sort of credibility. You flat out just HATE for no fucking reason. You aren't a fan of this team. You honestly make me not want to post here anymore. We understand you're hate for this player...... now move on to something else. It just gets so god damn old.....day in day out......FUCKIN' A!

 

It would be fine (or at least more acceptable) if he was even correct.

 

Word... Apply that to his hate on Aldridge as well

 

the list of sfs that are putting up at least -8/4/4/a steal- is maybe a half dozen players long (batums at 9/6.8/5/1)

durant
lebron
gordon hayward
george
batum
someone im obviously forgetting

also, its not so much what is batum worth on the open market, its what is batum worth to the blazers. Maybe the system runs better with a 10/5/5 type player at sf. its not as if they are hurting for scoring most nights. sure his shooting percentages are down this year but im still saying small sample size (forever now known as SSS, that shit is too long to type). he is coming off arguably his best offensive season, and he is just entering his prime physically.

if he is a good fit for the blazers, compliments the other players on the blazers well, works within the blazers offensive system well, works within the blazers defensive system well, good in the locker room with the current blazer players, and a general nice enough guy, then...he has a certain value to the blazers

whether that value has been overcompensated financially, or will be in the future, is open to interpretation to a certain degree.

im in the "hes appropriately paid" camp.

 

I agree bro