Nic Batum traded to char

[jambr380]

Batum is a good player and all, but it seems like Portland won this trade. I would love to take a chance on Vonleh.

[Endless Paradise]

I don't think this will help Portland in their effort to keep Aldridge.

It also could mean that Charlotte will keep their pick.

Well, on the other hand, Charlotte now has a big hole at SG and has made moves that indicate a focus on being a playoff team next year instead of waiting on youth.

Meh, Henderson was never the solution at SG for them. At least not while Kemba Walker is still a focus. They simply don't have enough shooting and Clifford's recent comments indicate they're going to focus on adding players with range this summer.

[Birdman]

looks like Devon Booker is a lock at #9

[SHAQATTACK]

Portland re gearing up.....shame though

[JHTruth]

Looks like we won't be trading up to No 9..

[Roy H.]

9.4 points, 40% shooting, 32.4% 3PT%

Batum isn't all that he's cracked up to be.  He's a good rebounder and passer, but his scoring production is lousy.  Getting last year's 9th pick, along with a solid player in Henderson, is a very good return.  This isn't necessarily a rebuild.  Rather, it's a solid basketball trade.

[Rondo9]

9.4 points, 40% shooting, 32.4% 3PT%

Batum isn't all that he's cracked up to be.  He's a good rebounder and passer, but his scoring production is lousy.  Getting last year's 9th pick, along with a solid player in Henderson, is a very good return.  This isn't necessarily a rebuild.  Rather, it's a solid basketball trade.

Well he had a down year the previous years he shot over 35 percent from three.

[MJohnnyboy]

According to Woj, Portland's not rebuilding. Aldridge knew what they were doing and this is independent of his decision this off-season.

Charlotte is hoping Batum will do what Stephenson was supposed to do for them last season: Bring versatility to their offense.

[Evantime34]

9.4 points, 40% shooting, 32.4% 3PT%

Batum isn't all that he's cracked up to be.  He's a good rebounder and passer, but his scoring production is lousy.  Getting last year's 9th pick, along with a solid player in Henderson, is a very good return.  This isn't necessarily a rebuild.  Rather, it's a solid basketball trade.

That is a career worst year for Batum. He is a career 45% shooter and a 36% 3 point shooter, who plays excellent defense (he didn't last year but every other year he did)

[PhoSita]

9.4 points, 40% shooting, 32.4% 3PT%

Batum isn't all that he's cracked up to be.  He's a good rebounder and passer, but his scoring production is lousy.  Getting last year's 9th pick, along with a solid player in Henderson, is a very good return.  This isn't necessarily a rebuild.  Rather, it's a solid basketball trade.

To be fair to Batum, I believe he was dealing with a pretty serious shooting hand injury all last season.  It's similar to the struggles Kevin Love had the year he broke his shooting hand at the beginning of the season.

Just the season before he played all 82 games and averaged 13 pts - 5 assist - 7.5 reb on 46 / 36 / 80 shooting, which is a statline not dissimilar from what you might see the current reigning Finals MVP put up. 

So Charlotte is taking a gamble on Batum getting back to where he was a couple years ago as opposed to what he was last year.  Probably Portland is looking to get a return on Batum a year out from his free agency, at which point he'll likely get paid a lot of money by some team with cap space to burn.

[Roy H.]

9.4 points, 40% shooting, 32.4% 3PT%

Batum isn't all that he's cracked up to be.  He's a good rebounder and passer, but his scoring production is lousy.  Getting last year's 9th pick, along with a solid player in Henderson, is a very good return.  This isn't necessarily a rebuild.  Rather, it's a solid basketball trade.

That is a career worst year for Batum. He is a career 45% shooter and a 36% 3 point shooter, who plays excellent defense (he didn't last year but every other year he did)

I've shown the statistics on his defense previously.  Batum has been overrated there for years.

[saltlover]

I don't think this will help Portland in their effort to keep Aldridge.

It also could mean that Charlotte will keep their pick.

I don't thknk it matters much.  Batum was made into something of a scapegoat last year, and then he went out and shot 34% in the playoffs.  I think he's a good rebound candidate (and even started a thread about it last month), but Portland as a whole had moved on from Batum, including, I bet, LMA.

[colincb]

I don't think this will help Portland in their effort to keep Aldridge.

It also could mean that Charlotte will keep their pick.

I don't thknk it matters much.  Batum was made into something of a scapegoat last year, and then he went out and shot 34% in the playoffs.  I think he's a good rebound candidate (and even started a thread about it last month), but Portland as a whole had moved on from Batum, including, I bet, LMA.

Maybe not

Adrian Wojnarowski ?@WojYahooNBA 2h2 hours ago

Sources: Blazers didn't make deal as first step of rebuilding. Aldridge was aware of trade, and Blazers did deal independent of free agency.

[colincb]

Some more relevant tweets from Givony. Lamb coming according to Bonnell who is a very credible beat writer.

Major pressure on Charlotte coaches and front office to deliver immediate results. This trade clearly a reflection of that. More coming?

For Portland fans: Noah Vonleh scouting reports and video analysis from last year: http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Noah-Vonleh-6471/ …
 - still only 19 years old (!)

Had heard some reports that Jeremy Lamb was on the trading block (along with Perry Jones). Lack of intensity and work ethic didn't fit in.

Told Charlotte had concerns about Noah Vonleh's acclimation to NBA. Had difficulties picking up on plays. Questions about his feel for game.

Noah Vonleh being traded for a SF seemingly opens up another landing spot for Willie Cauley-Stein in Top-10. Charlotte already had interest.

[Smartacus]

Clearly Charlotte had a gaping hole at overrated wing after trading Stevenson.

No but seriously pretty decent move by Cho imo. Batum could probably use a change of scenery. Portland's match of his RFA offer reeked of billionaires trying to stick it to each other.

Apparently Minny's owner was angry with Portland for trading them a lemon in Martell Webster. There have been several high profile power moves between the franchises culminating in Minnesota offering Nic the max forcing Portland to overpay to retain him.

Source: http://uproxx.com/dimemag/2012/07/how-minnesota-and-portland-started-a-mini-feud-in-four-steps/