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After a decent sample size, did we end up with the better guy for our team?

I think they are pretty much equals right now but Batum can still grow and get better. I mean they really are the same type of player. THey put up the same stats with Batum being a bit of a better scorer. I think AK is slightly a better defender. Although both have such long wing spans that they both wind up with a lot of blocks and steals. The only thing I dislike about Batum is when he's off, sometimes he doesn't contribute much of anything and just sits in a corner and stares. AK even on a bad offensive night will still play 100% committed defense

kirilenko is a much better defender and batum is a much better shooter. kirilenko has him beat out in the intangibles category. batum's shooting has been excellent, but kirilenko just brings so much to the table that i dont think batum could replicate. so i think for this season at least, kirilenko is the better choice.

Right now & for this season Kirilenko has been the right guy for our team. He is the perfect glue guy with his effort on both ends of the floor. I'd give the edge on defense to Kirilenko and offensive edge to Batum.

Batum is much younger though and would've been nice for years down the road. Kirilenko probably has a couple years of solid play left at best.

Chocobanana wrote:kirilenko is a much better defender and batum is a much better shooter. kirilenko has him beat out in the intangibles category. batum's shooting has been excellent, but kirilenko just brings so much to the table that i dont think batum could replicate. so i think for this season at least, kirilenko is the better choice.

I pretty much agree with this. I don't think we would've won some of the early games we did if we had Batum.

While Batum has youth and potential on his side AK is a crafty vet who's got the intangibles this young team needed at this point in our rebuild.

Batum is a pretty good 1 on 1 defender. Maybe even as good as AK. However, where the 2 differ is help defense and AK may be the best in the league at that. Some of those blocks he had tonight on Cousins helping out were just perfectly executed. The Kings forum was in awe of that

AK is 31 and Bum Bum is 24 .... then Batum

IMO right now AK is better player and also fits better in this team, but Batum is considerably younger.

For the near future AK the best choice, for the medium-term future who knows.

The Wolves are better with AK47 on the floor than when he is off.The Blazers are better when Batum is off the floor than when he is on.

AK47 is so much better, he does so many little things that Batum doesn't. With everything said above, I'd like to add that he sometimes has kinda PG role, when he gets the ball in the beginning of the offense and he stands on the top of the key and looks for open men. I always have a good feeling about what's going to happen in that offense, and it's usually proven to be a justified feeling. I think he's also one of the factors why Love stopped forcing plays vs Sacramento and let his game come to him. AK is a true leader, and that is because he's not egocentric at all.

I wonder if the hustle and poise that Kirilenko shows will provide a good example to guys like Love.

I also think Kirilenko really helps a team win, and those wins mean something to us and to Love.

FinnTheHuman wrote:AK47 is so much better, he does so many little things that Batum doesn't. With everything said above, I'd like to add that he sometimes has kinda PG role, when he gets the ball in the beginning of the offense and he stands on the top of the key and looks for open men. I always have a good feeling about what's going to happen in that offense, and it's usually proven to be a justified feeling. I think he's also one of the factors why Love stopped forcing plays vs Sacramento and let his game come to him. AK is a true leader, and that is because he's not egocentric at all.

I agree AK is better right now but not that much. He's a better defender and rebounder and moves better without the ball, his passing is about equal and Batum is the better shooter.

Ak47 for me, really nice guy and the perfect fit for this team.
I dont like Battum

Well it's not rocket science... both are very good players but longterm Batum is the obvious choice. He is much younger. But for next few seasons AK-47 is perfect fit and I'm very glad he ended up here. He is unselfish player, great rebounder, passer and defender... and he doesn't have a need to get some set numbers every night... but he play's what is needed for team at every single game. So I'm very happy with him.