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Will Portland be able to retain small forward Nic Batum in free agency? Cleveland is making rumblings about throwing the vault at him.

Joe Freeman @BlazerFreeman But one league source said to expect Minnesota, Cleveland and Toronto to chase Batum vigorously.

10:32 PM - 30 Jun 12 via web

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Cavs going hard after Batum. Love his game. I think he's an all-star in a few years and he's 23. Great defender. However, how much? In a few years, Kyrie is a max guy, and TT is hopefully a $10 million big when their contracts are up. We also have Waiters who is hopefully a fringe all-star level to re-sign. Plus, Zeller. Lot of cash to fork out with potentially 3 firsts next year. Don't want to cripple ourselves from signing our own guys.

I hope not man.

I think Batum would be a great fit, but at the right price. Maybe at around $8 mil per year, but I doubt that would be enough to get him.

That actually should mean that we are out already. Looks like he has already got a 4 yr 45mil offer

Portland may have a hard time trying to keep batum especially if they get Hibbard. If Im Hibbard do I want to go to Minnesota maybe? Toronto forget it no one wants to go to Toronto, so if the cavs want him they could get him and maybe that was the idea to get Waiters and offer Batum a posion pill contract so Portland would be hard pressed to match. Batum is a great fit for the Cavs and I feel they will go after him pretty aggressively, especially with next years Wings in the draft not looking like a strength of that draft.

Love his game however Rome was not built over night. Even though I'm on record initially condemning are picks I took a deep breath and crunched the numbers in comparing the two SG B.B vs T.W. and for sake of argument I will say they are very comparable. Me personally I think Waiters has better upside {not going to debate right now however}

So getting back on topic with the picks from last year and the two this year I think the draft is the best way to build and keep your flexibility once you feel that process is completes then go out and add that one piece. Next year draft have some good SF available. However I like Batum game but not the amount it will cost

You guys do realize that even if we offered him the max, that he would only be making good money into the first year that TT and KI are making big boy money. It doesn't restrict you from adding anything the next few years. We'll be paying Boobie, Erden, Harongody and Luke Walton nearly a max salary combined this year. I just think you add talent that fits when you can.

Not really well versed on the cap restraints so I will differ and go along with someone who maybe better suited to comment on this. So if it doesn't shackle us from future moves count me in.

Basically we go forward with Waiters/TT/Kyrie making 30% of the cap the next 3 years, then Andy gets about 15-18%. All the later first round rookies only get around a million/year. I suppose it could be good to add 3 guys making 5-6M vs one guy making 14, but I'm not sure what you can get for that money. There aren't the cap millstones of our youth out there any more.

I still argue that it's never good to pay overpay someone. No good can come of it.

Fans seem to delude themselves into thinking overpaying can work for their team.

Buuuut, maybe it can work for us!

Nirvana wrote:Fans seem to delude themselves into thinking overpaying can work for their team.

Buuuut, maybe it can work for us!

I would do 4 years, 45 million on him. Why? He's 23, a high PER guy, and fits this team perfectly. Honestly I can't find a better fit. Good shooter, athletic, smart, relentless defender. He'd score 16 ppg here with Kyrie. It's a great fit with Dion as well.

Zeller and Waiters are possibly the two most pro-ready guys in the draft. Kyrie has a wisdom beyond his years. This team needs the piece sooner than we think, and no one wants to sit and wait on some 19 year-old SF from next year's draft to mature. Plus, we won't pick high enough to get the premier guy. With Batum, we are a 7 seed this year. Plus, as established as he is, he still has upside.

Nirvana wrote:Fans seem to delude themselves into thinking overpaying can work for their team.

Buuuut, maybe it can work for us!

And fans seem to delude themselves into thinking their team will get anyone worth a damn without overpaying.

Anyway, I've been praising Batum for years and even predicted him to be the MIP a season or two ago. But the Cavs are terrible, he'd basically require a max deal, and they'd get too good too fast. Still need another top 10 pick next year, then we can talk about overpaying for guys.

Now simply isn't the time.

Makes too much sense not to go after him. He's young with upside so there will be others interested too of course.

Portland maxing Hibberd will restict their ability to react potentially too.

if minnesota offering 50m/4 years then f that

Overpaid or not, one thing is for sure.... Boy would he look great in that lineup.

thetrapman wrote:if minnesota offering 50m/4 years then f that

That's just nuts.
I really thought he'd end up making less than $10M per.

Sounds like he is going to get Rudy Gay type of money, some of these GM's cant help themselves I guess. Almost as bad as our politicians.

he is a GREAT fit in Minny but my god... that $ is just ridiculous lol