Can Nicolas Batum strike in Charlotte? Well, it certainly seems like the former Portland Trailblazer can if given the proper chances and opportunity.
Batum finds himself playing for a new team next season, a new lease on life if you may after a dismal season with the Blazers. The French basketball player has been known to be a great defender and gifted with the ability to hit the long bombs. But for some reason, his numbers dipped considerably last season.
Batum was acquired by the Charlotte Hornets from the Blazers in a trade which involved Gerald Henderson and Noah Vonleh. His arrival somehow offsets the departure of Lance Stephenson who just didn't pan up to expectations after hitting it off at Indiana.
He is expected to play a lot of the shooting guard position with Michael Kidd-Gilchrist likely to be man the small forward position. However, that could change if he continues with his slump.
His best year was back in 2012–13 when he averaged 14.3 points per outing to go with 5.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists. But since that time, his numbers have simply dripped.
Last season in Portland, Batum could manage to put up only 9.4 points per game, a big drop from two years back. It remains a mystery on why the 26-year-old player's numbers dropped, although it was a known reason that Portland was planning to revamp its roster for the coming season.
That plus the fact that Aldridge made public his plans to bolt the Blazers camp, all was simply not well within the Blazers.
It would be, of course, foolish to think that Batum tanked but then again, there were no injuries to blame for the lackluster performance.
With all that in the past, all eyes will be on Batum this coming season. With a revamped team, the Hornets could pull off some surprises. But to make that happen, the new guns like Batum must be ready and fully loaded when the season opens shop this October.
