Nic Batum Contract Status......

[BlazerCaravan]

The reason you pay Oden is because he has shown when healthy that he is a difference maker. His PER in in the mid 20's. Batum has a career high PER in the 17's

Above average for a starter... a good 3rd piece. And currently more efficient than Wallace this season.

BTW, if we started our 5 most efficient players, we'd have LMA at center, Craig Smith at PF, Wallace at SF, Batum at SG, and Crawford at PG... I'd watch that lineup... and pray for Crawford to go down with a hangnail injury so that we get Felton in.

We really need a PG.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Above average for a starter... a good 3rd piece. And currently more efficient than Wallace this season.

BTW, if we started our 5 most efficient players, we'd have LMA at center, Craig Smith at PF, Wallace at SF, Batum at SG, and Crawford at PG... I'd watch that lineup... and pray for Crawford to go down with a hangnail injury so that we get Felton in.

We really need a PG.

It's a huge issue. You can really see why teams have given up on Felton. He has game, but he is a dumbass with the ball in crunch time. Crawford just plain sucks, and what little offensive flow we have goes out the window with him in the game

 

[illmatic99]

I know we could have still amnestied him, but I just can't see PA and the rest of the front office okaying that move without knowing that Roy was done.

Team could have still held onto that amnesty until the summer of 2012.

 

[magnifier661]

Above average for a starter... a good 3rd piece. And currently more efficient than Wallace this season.

BTW, if we started our 5 most efficient players, we'd have LMA at center, Craig Smith at PF, Wallace at SF, Batum at SG, and Crawford at PG... I'd watch that lineup... and pray for Crawford to go down with a hangnail injury so that we get Felton in.

We really need a PG.

You might think I'm crazy, but I love that line-up; with the exception of Crawford starting. But I actually could live with Crawford starting if we could put that line-up on the floor.

Craig looks good. I mean Really good. I don't know if anyone else was paying attention; but loves to bang and has great footwork. He is definitly able to demand doubles if he keeps this up. Having Craig and Aldridge on the floor would be Beast, IMO. Then you have Wallace wing to Craig and Batum wing to Aldridge and you got some madness going on! Then crawchuck at the top isn't a bad thing.

 

[Boise Blazer]

Yes Batum is a "role player". Why is that a bad thing? He is not an all-star max player. He isn't likely to be the No. 2 on a contending team. But he clearly IMO is capable of being the No. 3, and is more importantly just the kind of "role player" every contender needs to have. I do not believe Batum's combination of skills is easily replaceable in one player. Give him $8 mil per for 4 years...more if you have to.

I would give up every other player on the team, and the coaches, to get a starting core of D-Will, LaMarcus, and Batum. With Rhino and Oden coming off the bench, of course.

Exactly, if you look at most of the recently really good or championship they usually have this type of player.

 

[Nikolokolus]

You might think I'm crazy, but I love that line-up; with the exception of Crawford starting. But I actually could live with Crawford starting if we could put that line-up on the floor.

Fuck Crawford as the starting point guard ... I'm not exactly sold on Felton long-term, but watching him play as a reserve is maddening enough.

Craig looks good. I mean Really good. I don't know if anyone else was paying attention; but loves to bang and has great footwork. He is definitly able to demand doubles if he keeps this up. Having Craig and Aldridge on the floor would be Beast, IMO. Then you have Wallace wing to Craig and Batum wing to Aldridge and you got some madness going on! Then crawchuck at the top isn't a bad thing.

Look, I like Craig Smith just fine as a 20 minutes reserve (and I even said when they signed him that he'd end up this team's best off-season acquisition) but he is not and never will be the kind of guy that other teams will commit a double-team to; he has some pretty serious limitations as a full-time starter (on a good team).

Don't get me wrong, if the Blazers can ever fill in the holes in the rest of their roster I'd love to keep him as LA's primary backup, but c'mon.

 

[magnifier661]

Fuck Crawford as the starting point guard ... I'm not exactly sold on Felton long-term, but watching him play as a reserve is maddening enough.



Look, I like Craig Smith just fine as a 20 minutes reserve (and I even said when they signed him that he'd end up this team's best off-season acquisition) but he is not and never will be the kind of guy that other teams will commit a double-team to; he has some pretty serious limitations as a full-time starter (on a good team).

Don't get me wrong, if the Blazers can ever fill in the holes in the rest of their roster I'd love to keep him as LA's primary backup, but c'mon.

I am a Craig Smith homer. What do you expect?!?!

 

[Blazinaway]

Here's the latest Batum news from Chris Haynes:

"Batum says his agent will meet 2nite & 2morrow morn. Blazers have until Jan. 25 2 reach extension. If not,becomes restricted FA at seas end."

 

[Brock]

After that performance I'd wait till season is over. Hes not that good IMO. In fact at this point they should trade him and felton for a real PG and resign wallace. Batum stinks.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

After that performance I'd wait till season is over. Hes not that good IMO. In fact at this point they should trade him and felton for a real PG and resign wallace. Batum stinks.

He was resting on the court. He'll show up tomorrow while Wallace rests on the court. That said, the Blazers may have just been given a 10% off coupon tonight.

 

[THE HCP]

After that performance I'd wait till season is over. Hes not that good IMO. In fact at this point they should trade him and felton for a real PG and resign wallace. Batum stinks.

Really man? 1 game and he stinks? Had he a game like he did in Houston would you have come on here and say he's the best and resign him asap. Get the fuck outta' here, he stinks!

 

[Boob-No-More]

I am a Craig Smith homer. What do you expect?!?!

I'm a huge Craig Smith fan. I said when we signed him, he's the perfect back-up power forward. He's a poor man's Millsap or Blair. But, there's a reason he's never been a full time starter in this league. He abuses other back-up power forwards, but would be similarly abused by the longer, more athletic starting forwards in this league. Craig Smith is 6'6.5" tall - in shoes, with an 8'7.5" standing reach. There were multiple guards in his draft class that measured taller with a greater vertical reach. Hell, Adam Morrison measured an inch taller with a 1.5" greater vertical reach. Smith simply does not have the length, and/or athleticism to guard the starting power forwards in today's NBA.

Ever since Duncan came into the league, the NBA, and especially the Western Conference, has been full of starting power forwards 6'11" - 7'0" tall. Duncan, KG, Sheed, Dirk, Pau, Aldridge, etc. even if Smith does a good job muscling them off the low block, they will just catch, turn and shoot over him. The last starting power forward i can think of that as short as Smith was Charles Barkley, who was an amazing and unique combination of bulk and surprisingly explosive athleticism - and Barley, as good as he was struggled, at times, against the really good, taller power forwards. As much as I like Craig Smith, he's no Charles Barkley. Starting him against most teams would be a disaster. He's very well suited to the role he's playing. Let's not get greedy and try to force him into a different role where he's likely to fail.

BNM

 

[Boob-No-More]

Really man? 1 game and he stinks? Had he a game like he did in Houston would you have come on here and say he's the best and resign him asap. Get the fuck outta' here, he stinks!

Dude, I can't believe you fell for that stinky bait. Come on, remember who you're responding to.

BNM

 

[jlprk]

No one talked about Rhino starting except you. No one compared him to Barkley except you. So you won the argument, but it was with yourself, so you also lost the argument. Now, back to what matters.

I am a Craig Smith homer. What do you expect?!?!

I'm a huge Craig Smith fan.

If you guys are his biggest fans, why didn't you use the name Rhino even once in those posts?

 

[Nikolokolus]

No one talked about Rhino starting except you. No one compared him to Barkley except you. So you won the argument, but it was with yourself, so you also lost the argument. Now, back to what matters.

This is an excellent point.

 

[Brock]

sadly nic will end up being a guy we wish we traded joining guys like Rudy, Outlaw, etc.

 

[HailBlazers]

sadly nic will end up being a guy we wish we traded joining guys like Rudy, Outlaw, etc.

hahaha riiiight

The major thing that sets Batum apart, and is vastly overlooked, is his defense. At 23, he's well on his way to becoming a lock-down defender. He's a perfect fit for this D-minded team.

 

[magnifier661]

No one talked about Rhino starting except you. No one compared him to Barkley except you. So you won the argument, but it was with yourself, so you also lost the argument. Now, back to what matters.





If you guys are his biggest fans, why didn't you use the name Rhino even once in those posts?

It's honestly hard for me to use nick names. I do it; but it seems awkward to me. I never used "The Natural" for Roy, don't think I've ever used "L-Train", never used "The Glide" for Drexler. The only times I use it now, is we have Nolan Smith. So when I say "Smith is Beasting!"; some people may get confused. Maybe it's a weird mental thing for me.

 

[magnifier661]

I'm a huge Craig Smith fan. I said when we signed him, he's the perfect back-up power forward. He's a poor man's Millsap or Blair. But, there's a reason he's never been a full time starter in this league. He abuses other back-up power forwards, but would be similarly abused by the longer, more athletic starting forwards in this league. Craig Smith is 6'6.5" tall - in shoes, with an 8'7.5" standing reach. There were multiple guards in his draft class that measured taller with a greater vertical reach. Hell, Adam Morrison measured an inch taller with a 1.5" greater vertical reach. Smith simply does not have the length, and/or athleticism to guard the starting power forwards in today's NBA.

Ever since Duncan came into the league, the NBA, and especially the Western Conference, has been full of starting power forwards 6'11" - 7'0" tall. Duncan, KG, Sheed, Dirk, Pau, Aldridge, etc. even if Smith does a good job muscling them off the low block, they will just catch, turn and shoot over him. The last starting power forward i can think of that as short as Smith was Charles Barkley, who was an amazing and unique combination of bulk and surprisingly explosive athleticism - and Barley, as good as he was struggled, at times, against the really good, taller power forwards. As much as I like Craig Smith, he's no Charles Barkley. Starting him against most teams would be a disaster. He's very well suited to the role he's playing. Let's not get greedy and try to force him into a different role where he's likely to fail.

BNM

You gotta point there; but he was doing well against other taller players. Even this season, I've witnessed him being effective. And to be perfectly honest; I would rather Smith be the PF than Wallace; which seems to be the other end of the coin.

 

[B-Roy]

It's honestly hard for me to use nick names. I do it; but it seems awkward to me. I never used "The Natural" for Roy, don't think I've ever used "L-Train", never used "The Glide" for Drexler. The only times I use it now, is we have Nolan Smith. So when I say "Smith is Beasting!"; some people may get confused. Maybe it's a weird mental thing for me.

Wait, what's Nolan's nickname?

If Craig Smith is the rhino, Nolan Smith is more like the prairie dog...

 

[Boob-No-More]

Wait, what's Nolan's nickname?

If Craig Smith is the rhino, Nolan Smith is more like the prairie dog...

The ferret, the hedgehog, the weasel, the mongoose?

BNM

 

[Boob-No-More]

No one talked about Rhino starting except you. No one compared him to Barkley except you. So you won the argument, but it was with yourself, so you also lost the argument. Now, back to what matters.

Since you didn't quote anyone, I have no idea if you're addressing me or magnifier. In either case, you're wrong:

Above average for a starter... a good 3rd piece. And currently more efficient than Wallace this season.

BTW, if we started our 5 most efficient players, we'd have LMA at center, Craig Smith at PF, Wallace at SF, Batum at SG, and Crawford at PG...

BNM

 

[Draco]

I'd rather wait untill the offseason to sign Batum, his cap hold will be fairly low, so even if another team offers him a huge contract we reluctantly want to match we can first sign a stud free agent, claim an amnesty waiver, use any remaining cap space, then match the offer for Batum. Now if another team doesn't offer him a big contract maybe we resign him on a cheaper deal. We will have a better idea of Wallace/Felton/Oden status so lets leave our flexability open until the summer.

Only way I resign Nic now is if he really wants the security of a long term deal and is willing to give us a discount.

 

[Draco]

Another situation I'd compare Batum's to is Ben Gordon. Remember how pissed fans were he was leaving for nothing? Well turned out that Chicago being very careful for years on giving him an extension or a contract was a very smart move, even though he walked away for nothing.

 

[illmatic99]

That move would have seriously backfired on the Bulls if they had not lucked into Rose.

 

[Draco]

That move would have seriously backfired on the Bulls if they had not lucked into Rose.

You think Ben Gordon is a good value on a $10million+ per season contract?

 

[handiman]

That move would have seriously backfired on the Bulls if they had not lucked into Rose.

Gordon likely has the same precipitous drop-off whether or not they luck into Rose, so his big contract wouldn't have been a backfiring situation to keep him.

 

[ehizzy3]

utah will paul millsap us back.

 

[illmatic99]

You think Ben Gordon is a good value on a $10million+ per season contract?

Ya true. He really sucks now, but he was a borderline all star when he was in CHI.

 

[Draco]

Ya true. He really sucks now, but he was a borderline all star when he was in CHI.

All the more reason to be extra cautious of giving a guy a contract who isn't a borderline starter.