Now that Batum is officially resigned, are there any worries about motivation?

[chris_in_pdx]

Nic plainly stated he wanted to be in Minny. So now that the Blazers have matched, do you think he'll dog it and be unprofessional on the court, especially that it looks like the team is going to suck for a few years?

 

[Wheels]

nope

 

[Spud147]

nope

+1, he's going to love Lillard

 

[Sedatedfork]

no worries here. I think he will be excited and motivated.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

11.5/yr . . . at the very least you hope he is going to be professional.

If the trade kicker is in contract, he needs to come to realization he will likely be Blazer for 4 years.

 

[Haakzilla]

Nic plainly stated he wanted to be in Minny. So now that the Blazers have matched, do you think he'll dog it and be unprofessional on the court, especially that it looks like the team is going to suck for a few years?

...but he was "told" to say those things and did not actually mean them

 

[Wizard Mentor]

Nic plainly stated he wanted to be in Minny. So now that the Blazers have matched, do you think he'll dog it and be unprofessional on the court, especially that it looks like the team is going to suck for a few years?

It's not plain. It's sounding like he was told to say those things in order to get a contract offer from Minny. His agent is a jackass, but it worked.

So, no, now worried at all.

 

[Ed O]

I don't have any motivation questions based on what he said about MN.

I have questions based on his big contract, of course. And that he's French.



Ed O.

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

When one realizes Rubio has a torn ACL, Roy is washed up and Love wants out I think this has been more about money for Nic than where he plays. All designed by his agent to get as much money for Nic as possible using that boob of a GM in Minny has a schmuck.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Funny but I'm actually less worried about his motivation with the money than I would be for most guys.

I think one of Nic's biggest problems in his first 4 years with the team, had more to do with being pigeonholed as a support player --basically being told to stand in the corner and shoot threes -- Under those kind of constraints I don't think we've seen the full game of Nicolas Batum ... maybe we've seen it in fits and starts, but I don't think he felt all that empowered to be a focal point player.

Does that mean he's guaranteed to become a big-time impact player and completely change his approach to the game? I don't know, but I do think the money may help him feel validated and justified in demanding a bigger role.

We'll see what happens.

 

[Pinwheel1]

I believe LMA and Wes when they said they were taken by surprise when Nic made the comments about wanting to leave. Did he want to go to Minny, yeah at the time I think he did. Will he be happy in Portland as well? Yeah I think he will. Especially with his money.

But no one will be happy if they are losing. That is what it always comes down to.

 

[Ed O]

At least he can take solace in knowing that $8m a year or so will be going to the French government!

Ed O.

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

At least he can take solace in knowing that $8m a year or so will be going to the French government!

Ed O.

For health care. Get ready America...

 

[Stevenson]

Nic plainly stated he wanted to be in Minny.

Have none of you ever negotiated before? Jeez. How's that turnip truck? How else would he have gotten a big offer sheet if not by extolling the virtues of Minny?

And in any case, at $45 mil, how he "feels" is completely irrelevant.

 

[mook]

Olshey claimed in his interview today that Batum told him his agent/Minnesota put him up to those comments. He also stated that the contract as discussed in the media is overblown because the league disallowed some of the incentives Minnesota had spelled out.

I came away from that interview feeling like Batum was fully on board and cheaper than we're expecting. But then, that's the GM's job. I guess we'll know for sure when the details of the deal surface and how Batum plays when he comes back this fall. But I'm optimistic.

Here's the presser: http://on.nba.com/NiN18G

 

[Nikolokolus]

Olshey claimed in his interview today that Batum told him his agent/Minnesota put him up to those comments. He also stated that the contract as discussed in the media is overblown because the league disallowed some of the incentives Minnesota had spelled out.

I came away from that interview feeling like Batum was fully on board and cheaper than we're expecting. But then, that's the GM's job. I guess we'll know for sure when the details of the deal surface and how Batum plays when he comes back this fall. But I'm optimistic.

Here's the presser: http://on.nba.com/NiN18G

This isn't meant to disparage Neil Olshey because so far I really like him, but that dude could probably sell ice cream to Eskimos.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

This isn't meant to disparage Neil Olshey because so far I really like him, but that dude could probably sell ice cream to Eskimos.

ya, I know what you mean.

 

[barfo]

For health care. Get ready America...

That's right. Soon, we will each be paying $8 million per year for our health care, just as the French do now.

barfo

 

[oldmangrouch]

Batum has always been a low-motor guy. Now, he has been richly rewarded for drifting on the court and not fighting to reach his potential (as demonstrated by his international play).

Yep...this is going to work out really well!

(I know...I am just a bitter former Batum fan. Just ignore me.)

 

[maxiep]

Well, as long as he brings that work ethic for which the French are so famous, we have no worries.

 

[Sinobas]

Olshey claimed in his interview today that Batum told him his agent/Minnesota put him up to those comments. He also stated that the contract as discussed in the media is overblown because the league disallowed some of the incentives Minnesota had spelled out.

I came away from that interview feeling like Batum was fully on board and cheaper than we're expecting. But then, that's the GM's job. I guess we'll know for sure when the details of the deal surface and how Batum plays when he comes back this fall. But I'm optimistic.

Here's the presser: http://on.nba.com/NiN18G

Cheaper, as in 3 mil cheaper, so not much. I don't buy the BS that it was all his agent's idea. How the hell is that going to earn him a better contract?

 

[julius]

Is he actually paying 8 million in taxes to France, or was that hyperbole? Because if it's true (which I doubt it is), why would he even bother playing here?

 

[BrianFromWA]

[attempt at Kahn logic]"Hm, if I can get him to say that Portland sux and he really loves it in MIN, the fans won't burn me in effigy if I overpay for a guy who'll be the 3rd-most important player on the team at best. Especially if I tell them I 'have to overpay to steal him away' and 'it's a matter of honor to give him a contract that will tie up our cap space, cause us to lose 2 assets and our amnesty, and is promised to be matched anyway.

If I can get them to buy that he really, REALLY wants to be here...and that evil Paul Allen is killing his dream...we can be overpaying dream-makers who tried and just ran up against the Evil Empire. Next time, gadget...next time."
[/Kahn logic]

 

[BrianFromWA]

Is he actually paying 8 million in taxes to France, or was that hyperbole? Because if it's true (which I doubt it is), why would he even bother playing here?

it's a 20% value-added tax. So you don't take 20% of 45M.

As another example, Obama just asked for LMA's taxes to be raised. He'll be giving ~1.4M to Oregon and over 4M to Uncle Sam this year.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Batum has always been a low-motor guy. Now, he has been richly rewarded for drifting on the court and not fighting to reach his potential (as demonstrated by his international play).

Yep...this is going to work out really well!

(I know...I am just a bitter former Batum fan. Just ignore me.)

Well, as long as he brings that work ethic for which the French are so famous, we have no worries.

Why do I have this weird feeling that we're all going to look back in two years and say, "goddammit, we should have listened to maxie and oldmangrouch"

Fuck, I hope you're wrong.

 

[Ed O]

it's a 20% value-added tax. So you don't take 20% of 45M.

As another example, Obama just asked for LMA's taxes to be raised. He'll be giving ~1.4M to Oregon and over 4M to Uncle Sam this year.

I was referring to the 75% top tax bracket. The top bracket kicks in after a million euros. $11.5m is 9.3m Euro, so the tax would kick in for 8.3m Euro, which is like $10.2m... that's $7.65m in that final chunk of change.

The question is whether it would be due on overseas earnings, and my understanding is that if someone has France as his/her residence, they owe taxes on global earnings. I know that Sarkozy was going after French living abroad, but I'm not sure about the current state of all of that.

Looking at it more closely, it might be straightforward for Batum to avoid the new income tax by not keeping his family or primary home in France. Unlike this poor soccer player.

Ed O.

 

[The Professional Fan]

I would reserve any and all judgement regarding Batum until we hire a coach and see how Batum's going to be used. One thing I'm relatively certain of is the next Blazers coach will be "instructed" to use Batum differently than the Bruce Bowen roll Nate had him in. I've always believed Batum would be worth this kind of money in the right system - just not our system. Well, we don't have a system, so who the fuck knows how Batum will pan out? This might be a great thing.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

I would reserve any and all judgement regarding Batum until we hire a coach and see how Batum's going to be used. One thing I'm relatively certain of is the next Blazers coach will be "instructed" to use Batum differently than the Bruce Bowen roll Nate had him in. I've always believed Batum would be worth this kind of money in the right system - just not our system. Well, we don't have a system, so who the fuck knows how Batum will pan out? This might be a great thing.

Maybe you're right, but I'll reserve my judgment for when I see Batum create off the dribble. You know actually create offense himself. Batum is my favorite player, but he does still have stuff to prove.

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

I would reserve any and all judgement regarding Batum until we hire a coach and see how Batum's going to be used. One thing I'm relatively certain of is the next Blazers coach will be "instructed" to use Batum differently than the Bruce Bowen roll Nate had him in. I've always believed Batum would be worth this kind of money in the right system - just not our system. Well, we don't have a system, so who the fuck knows how Batum will pan out? This might be a great thing.

I doubt the next coach will be "instructed" as to how to play certain players. If all we get is a "yes" man for a coach, then the team is in dire troubles.

 

[MARIS61]

Nic plainly stated he wanted to be in Minny. So now that the Blazers have matched, do you think he'll dog it and be unprofessional on the court, especially that it looks like the team is going to suck for a few years?

depends entirely on if we hire na real coach or an asst/trainee coach.

Nic totally tanked last year to get rid of Nate and will compare our next coach to Adelman. Anything less and he'll coast.