Shortly after rookie Nicolas Batum finished a mediocre summer league — during which he lived up to his reputation as a raw project — Aldridge saw something much different when the two worked out in Dallas.
The 6-foot-8 Batum could make moves a player his size usually struggles to complete, such as spinning in the lane on a drive with a quick finish at the rim — moves Aldridge compared to those of San Antonio All-Star Manu Ginobili.
“The first time I saw him I was like, ‘Yo, this guy is going to be good,’ ” said Aldridge, who said he immediately called Blazers general manager Kevin Pritchard. “He was making Ginobili moves. And I called Kevin and was like, ‘Kevin, this guy’s good!’ I think during summer league he struggled because he was nervous. But I think now that he’s comfortable, he’s looking better every day.”
