Great Article today on Blazers edge about the viability of Trading Batum. I really get tired of people justifying his existence on the team by looking at his year end stats. If you look at the over the course of the season and watch his totals for each game, you will find he is consistent at being inconsistent. That has been this story ever since he signed the big contract. The other thing that irks me is his injuries come from the fact that he is committed to the French National Team and he never gets any rest during the summer. If he starts showing up to training camp rested and ready to go, then maybe I say keep him. http://www.blazersedge.com/2015/5/29/8684075/portland-trail-blazers-nicolas-batum-trade
Jeez, nothing in that blather piece says that trading Nic makes sense...unless your objective is to make the Blazers worse. All of the guys that they mention that could be obtained either as a FA or via trade are downgrades...even over last season's "bad" Nic. Unless you're able to add a major player via trade or FA to go along with the SF downgrade, it's a stupid move. They toss around Jordan's name, but then note, correctly, that he probably stays with the Clips. Besides, is he really a needle mover over a re-signed Robin Lopez? Until he learns how to shoot free throws, my answer is "HELL NO!" Your comment about Nic's injuries coming from him being committed to the French team is interesting. Please explain how playing for France last summer resulted in the fall he took where he injured his wrist playing for the Blazers? I'm not following your logic here.
I'm much more concerned about what a cheap shot push in the back did to his body. Not sure how fatigue had any role in this fall. Check out the video in the link below: http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/i...s_batum_violent_fall_comes_with_concerns.html
Fatigue plays a roll in everything. This is only one example, for the last two seasons he has had nagging injuries that are a result of him playing for France during the summer. He comes to training camp with them.
In other words, you have your mind made up that it's the playing for France that's the problem, don't bother you with the reality that his injury occurred because Sanders pushed him in the back when he was airborne. I'm curious why fatigue from Euro play didn't seem to bother the Gasols or other guys who played last summer.
Once you figure out why Batum plays so inconsistenly then maybe then you can answer your own question.
It bothered Pau. And I think that if Nic had been better rested AND had taken more time to recover, he (and we) would have been MUCH better off...
Trading Nic makes sense...if you're getting Lebron or Durant! The fact remains that there aren't any viable scenarios in which to improve at the SF position. If you want more scoring out of the SF position (ie Ross, Parsons) then you'll get less play-making and defense and the team will be even less balanced than it already is. (Is lack of scoring from our 4th/5th scoring option really our biggest weakness?)
The injury was certainly the major reason that he played so poorly the second half of the season. I think Nic's a bit of a head case who struggles with making the best choices between when to shoot and when to pass and that's held him back more than anything else. The playing for France thing is message board over-hyped nonsense. NBA players all work their asses off all summer long. Just how long of a rest do you think a guy in his mid-twenties needs to recover from a few weeks of hard work?
Trading Batum makes sense if its for Paul George, Leonard, LBJ, Durant as those are the only SF in the NBA that are hands down better then Batum. As for Carmello NY played him a lot at the 4 the last few years and I like him better at the 4 but iv never been a big Melo fan and will agree with anyone who says I probably massively underrate him.
Trading Batum makes sense if it's part of an overall strategy that improves the team. It doesn't necessarily have to result in an upgrade at SF in order to accomplish that purpose.
Ask Batum, he is the one that gets all the nagging injuries every season. Remember last season he had a nagging wrist injury as well.
Well I skipped over two names to beat you to the punch! (I figured two was enough to make my point...)
