What Should The Blazers Do With Nic Batum?

Good insight from Dwight Jaynes about Nic Batum’s future with the Blazers.

The Blazers have until Jan. 25 to sign Batum to an extension. If no agreement is reached by then, he will become a restricted free agent after the season and they can’t negotiate until June 30.

Batum is an interesting case. He hasn’t developed as quickly as I expected, but he still shows flashes of being a future All-Star. He won’t get there playing 24 minutes a game, and he won’t earn more playing time by shooting .396 from the floor. On the other hand, he’s stuck behind Gerald Wallace, who might be the Blazers’ best player and also can become a free agent following the season.

If Marcus Camby ends up missing some time, it might be a blessing in disguise. The Blazers could go to a small lineup more often, leading to more minutes for Batum and giving the franchise a better sense of his worth while showcasing him as possible trade bait.